Lost Without Each Other
by cream-cheese-girl
Summary: After a bitter break up in senior year, Troy and Gabriella are accepted into the same college. Will they be drawn back to one another? Troyella PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
1. In A Year

**Disclaimer: We do not own High School Musical. But if anyone's putting it up on ebay let us know.**

**A/N: Its officially here! My first HSM fanfic! Co written by my lovely best friend Chloe (who incidentally has never seen the movie, LOL). For the past week or so, we have SLAVED away every night after work until at least 2 am trying to perfect this opening chapter, and we're rather fond of the result…so we hope you like it!**

**Brace yourselves for the ride guys, this is going to be a LONG bumpy fic. It will be mostly set in College, but this first chapter outlines the significant events that happen during Senior Year in order to get the Characters to where they are at the beginning of the College year. Now be warned, we laughed till we almost cried writing this first chapter, and we cried till something on tv distracted us when writing the sad bits! So we hope you guys have almost as much fun reading it as we did writing it!**

**Oh, one more thing, we're from Australia, so please excuse us if we don't have all the correct info regarding college, and graduation!**

**Happy Reading! Don't forget to review!**

**Xxoo**

**Emma**

Chapter 1: In A Year.

**"Gab, I know you're nervous, but you spell your name with two L's not one" Troy said with a gentle smile. **

**Gabi blushed and tucked a curl behind her ear. "Urrgh, I can't even spell my own name, I should be repeating kindergarten, not applying to colleges!"**

**Chad laughed, holding his own application up proudly. "See that's why my name is so good. Just four simple letters"**

**Taylor snorted. "And yet he still has to think about it"**

**The words had barely left her mouth when a well aimed pillow collided with her face. Troy and Gabriella glanced at each other and laughed, shaking their heads at their friends.**

**"What?" chorused Taylor and Chad together.**

**Troy and Gabriella laughed. "Nothing, nothing".**

**Chad turned to Taylor with a sigh. "I don't get it, It's always nothing with them, one of these days it'll be something and the shock will kill me.**

**Taylor grinned cheerfully. "Lets hope so!" **

**Gabriella looked down, barely managing a smile at her friends' banter, nerves taking hold. Noticing this, Troy put his hand over hers, and made a kissy face at her, trying to cheer her up. He smiled reassuringly. **

**"Don't sweat it Gabi, NYU would be crazy not to accept you"**

** Chad snorted. "Yeah don't sweat it Gabi, you don't want to get armpit stains"**

**"Take it from him, he has personal experience with armpit stains, they're nasty little buggers, or so he says" Taylor smiled sweetly and fluttered her eyelashes at Chad. **

**Gabi gave them a strange look. "Err…thanks for the advice guys"**

**Taylor grinned at Gabi. "Think of me as your anti- persperant, just keeping my girl covered"**

**Chad nodded. "Supporting you like a good bra"**

**Troy nodded his agreement. "Protecting you like a codpiece" (a/n: A cup…to protect your err…you know what's whilst playing sport lol)**

**Gabriella looked at her friends, trying to keep a straight face. "Umm…I'm disturbed…grateful, yes…but HIGHLY disturbed"**

**Troy gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "Gabi I know you're scared, but this is just one of life's little hurdles, think of me as your coach, if we stick together we can get over it"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Is EVERYTHING about sport with you?"**

**He responded with a grin. "That's why you love me!"**

**This caused Gabi to gasp with mock surprise. "Really? I thought that was what made you incredibly annoying! My bad!"**

**Troy pouted. "That hurt me in the feelings!" **

**Gabriella frowned guiltily. "Aww, want me to kiss your feelings better?"**

**Troy nodded hopefully, looking up at her with puppy dog eyes. Gabriella was happy to oblige, leaning in and kissing him slowly, smiling against his lips. They were interrupted though, by the sound of a dying cat…Or was that Chad and Taylor?**

**"Eww! Cue my gag reflex!" Exclaimed Chad, wrinkling his nose. **

**"Too late! Mine received the emergency call first" Taylor had a disgusted look on her face.**

**Troy and Gabriella broke apart and laughed. Gabriella stuck her tongue out at the pair. "Yeah yeah, we know, if you guys ain't getting any, we're not allowed to either"**

**"At least not when you're around" Troy added.**

**"You know, I reckon when we get to college they should fire the first aid staff, why do we need them when you're going to be there?" Troy looked at Gabriella.**

**"For those of us who don't want her cooties" Chad rolled his eyes. **

**Gabriella glared at him adamantly. "I don't have cooties!" She exclaimed.**

**"And if she does, they were Troy's first" Taylor stated matter of factly.**

**Gradually the group fell into a tense silence, slaves to their own nervous thoughts. None of them liked to admit it, yet everyone knew it…they were petrified. These letters were so significant to their futures, both individually and as a group. Though it had started out awkwardly, they'd grown accustomed to their little makeshift family, and all knew in the back of their minds that the end of this year could signal an emergence from their comfort zones. **

**---------------------------------**

**The golden tinged leaves sailed towards the ground like ships sinking into the vast ocean waters. On any other day, they would have seemed like celebratory confetti, but not today. Gabriella shivered, and Troy wrapped a comforting arm around her waist as they walked down the main street, drawing closer and closer to the post box located outside of the drug store.**

**Their pace slowed with each step. Gabriella suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Oh wait…I think I left…the stove on, we should go back, that's dangerous!" She turned on her heel facing the direction they had come from, starting to walk away, but Troy quickly grabbed her hand and gently spun her around. "Don't worry, the fire brigade is reliable, I'm sure they'll get there before the WHOLE house burns down"**

**Gabi looked down at her feet, her cheeks flushing pink, mumbling quietly. "What if they're all at the annual fire people's picnic?"**

**Troy laughed, placing his hand under her chin, gently forcing her to look up into his sparkling eyes. "Nahh, the picnics not for another couple of weeks"**

**Gabriella relaxed slightly, smiling back at him innocently. "Oh good, I haven't missed it then, me and Taylor wanted to go and perve on all the hot firemen"**

**Troy shrugged dismissively, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth "Chad and I will see you there, there's firewomen too you know"**

**Gabriella smiled to herself, slipping her arms around his neck and kissing him fervently.**

**Troy deepened the kiss, but after a few moments Gabriella pulled away, a coy smile playing at her lips.**

**"You were saying something about firewomen?"**

**Troy's eyes widened in mock horror. "Me? Firewomen? I never said anything about firewomen!"**

**Gabriella smiled satisfactorily. "That's what I thought"**

**Troy smiled and took her hand again, giving it a quick squeeze. "You ready?"**

**Gabriella flashed him a nervous smile. "No" she admitted, but nevertheless, they walked gradually until they were standing in front of the mailbox. **

**"Here goes" Troy gestured to the mailbox with a wave of his hand, indicating for Gabriella to go first.**

**"Me!" Gabriella exclaimed. "Nuh uh, you first"**

**"Me first?" Troy squeaked. "It's meant to be ladies first!"**

**"But YOU should go first to check if it's safe for ME…what if there's a spider that missed his lunch?"**

**Troy thought for a second then ducked down, peering through the slot.**

**"Nope, no famished spider here, all yours princess"**

**Gabriella pouted. "What if it's waiting at the bottom, just ready to jump out?"**

**"And if it is…you're willing to sacrifice me to it?"**

**Gabriella nodded solemnly. "It'll hurt me more than it'll hurt you"**

**"Not if I'm the one being eaten!"**

**"Stop being so melodramatic, it won't eat you, it'll only drink your blood" She grinned suddenly. "Maybe you'll turn into Superman!"**

**Troy blinked, slightly confused. "Uhh…Gabi…" He tried to hold back a laugh. "I think you mean Spiderman"**

**Gabriella shrugged. "Well I guess we're about to find out!"**

**Troy pondered for a second staring at the ground then looked up with a grin. "OK…I think I have a plan. You don't want to post your college applications, and I don't want to post mine…You're the one person I trust most in the whole entire world, and after two years together, I'm kinda hoping that I'm yours" He paused, looking at her hopefully and she gave a quick nod.**

**With a sigh of relief, he continued. "So I was kinda thinking…" He held out his letters to her, she took them before handing over her own. **

**Gabriella held the first of Troy's three envelopes to her lips, kissing the paper. He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "For good luck" She explained with a laugh, before pushing it through the slot.**

**She looked at him expectantly, and he followed suit, a little too enthusiastically, saliva now covered one side of her first envelope.**

**She gave him a weird look, "For good luck!" he exclaimed, grinning stupidly and pushing it down the slot. **

**They followed with the same routine for the remaining letters, sighing as the last left Troy's hand.**

**"Well it's out of our hands now" Sighed Gabriella, half relieved, part of her more nervous than before.**

**Troy let out a nervous chuckle. "Literally"**

**They both found a sudden fascination with the ground once more. **

**After a few moments, Gabriella looked over at him with a concerned frown. "Troy, you ok?"**

**Troy shook his head and said softly. "No…how can I be ok when one of those letters could be the thing that takes me away from you? I mean…the chances of us getting into the same college are..." He trailed off, shuffling his feet awkwardly.**

**Gabriella closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. She forced herself to smile at him reassuringly. "Let's just not think about that…we can't let ourselves think about that"**

**She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. He hugged her back, burying his face in her soft curls. **

**---------------------------------**

**The sky was streaked like neapolitan ice cream, the colors fading softly into one another as the sun set. The park was empty, the wind howling loudly through the trees causing the swing set to rock gently back and forth. It had been three of the longest weeks of Gabriella's life; she hated uncertainty, the hopeless feeling of not being in control. And while Troy was a comfort to Gabriella, he couldn't be such to himself, his thoughts running wild hen they were apart. **

**Gabriella sat down at the edge of the see saw, glancing down the street then down at her watch. Where was he? He was never late. She shrugged to herself, sighing deeply. **

**As she sat in solitude, her thoughts began to roam, memories of the past two years with Troy, Chad and Taylor coming back. All that they had been through, all that they had shared. She felt that after so many moves, so many new starts she should be ready for yet another. But in the back of her mind she knew that things had been made easier when she met Troy. And now...well now she had to face the possibility of leaving him, of starting over without him by her side, without his support. Without his corny jokes to laugh at and his strong shoulder to cry on. She bit her lip, knowing that wasn't all that was bothering her. She hated letting herself worry about it…she knew she was just being paranoid, but the thought of Troy starting over without her plagued her. What if he didn't need her as much as she needed him?**

**As she was getting more and more lost in her thoughts a hand suddenly gripped her shoulder, causing her to let out a brief scream, stopping herself when she realised it was Troy.**

**Troy laughed. **

**"Paranoid much?" He teased. **

**Gabriella glared at him. "You could've been a serial killer or worse…Chad"**

**Troy pulled a horrified face, "If I were to find Chad sneaking up on ME, I think I'd be more likely to beat him than scream"**

**Gabriella laughed then pouted childishly at him. "Are you too preoccupied by Chad to give me my kiss hello?" Troy smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. "I was just getting around to that"**

**Gabriella kissed him back, though not with the same enthusiasm that she usually would, her thoughts from before still haunting her. **

**Troy pulled back slightly then leaned in and kissed her forehead affectionately. "Sorry I'm late princess, I was getting yet another college lecture from my dad"**

**Gabriella frowned, "What about this time?"**

**Troy shrugged, "How it can change the rest of my life and I need to be focused when I'm there, don't let myself get too distracted. You know the drill"**

**Gabriella couldn't keep the bitterness out of her reply. "So in other words...he sees me as your distraction?"**

**Troy shook his head immediately, feeling the need to reassure Gabriella once again that his father didn't hate her "No. I don't think that's what he was saying. I think he was more suggesting that I need to make sure I keep a balance between the amount of time I spend with you and the amount of work I do for school"**

**"Yeah with the emphasis on school!" She snapped back, her words sounding harsher than she intended.**

**Troy felt a surge of anger wash over him, "What's that supposed to mean?" He glared at her slightly, unsure if he really wanted to hear the answer.**

**"I'm just saying it's going to be pretty hard considering we'll most likely be at different schools" She remarked cynically.**

**"Princess" Troy took her hand gently in his own, his thumb rubbing back and forth over her smooth skin "There's every chance we'll both be going to the same place" his soft voice filled her ears.**

**Though Gabriella's heart screamed at her to just smile and accept this, unfortunately, the dark paranoid corner of her brain won out. She knew she'd regret going down this path with him now, but she couldn't help it. "Troy...you don't know that for certain...what if we end up halfway across the country from each other? It'll be pretty hard to focus on our relationship then"**

**Troy felt a sharp pang in his chest. His face fell instantly after the words left her mouth. "But we won't…and even if we do. We can make it work"**

**"Troy...how can you be sure when all the odds are against us? I mean...the workload...not seeing each other everyday...plus…there'll be so many beautiful girls..." She forced herself to stop, staring intently at the ground.**

**Troy frowned, '"There's also a great chance we're going to get into the same places. We're both smart, we got great recommendations, we have good results. We've applied to the same places. And if it comes down to that then I won't go. I'm sure I can find a job wherever you end up."**

**Gabriella opened her mouth widely, surprised, raising her voice. "Do you really think I'm that selfish? If you think I would let you sacrifice your future for me...then Troy, I don't think you know me at all. How can you think that I would be ok with that?"**

**"I thought that because" Troy stopped, realizing he'd raised his voice, "I thought that because I thought you'd want us to be together, not because you were selfish. If you think that I care more about college than I do about you then you're wrong. I'll wait if I have to. I can work next year and apply to wherever you get in again at the end of the year. If that's what it takes then fine. . I'll do it. But I WON'T find myself on the opposite side of the country to you, I just won't. I can't"**

**"Oh and what's daddy going to think about that little distraction" she exclaimed sourly.**

**"MY DAD DOESN'T RUN MY GODDAMN LIFE" Troy yelled, his emotions getting the better of him at last.**

**Gabriella took a step backwards away from him in surprise. "Don't yell at me Troy! If you're incapable of having a simple discussion about the future without screaming at me then I'm leaving"**

**Troy scoffed. "YOU'RE the one that started by yelling at ME, If you're going to blame me then you needn't leave because I will!"**

**Gabriella stared at him in shock for a moment before a scowl darkened her features, "So like, two seconds ago you said you couldn't bear to be on opposite sides of the country, yet now you can't even bear to be standing a metre away from me?"**

**Troy glared back darkly, "At this point, being on the opposite side of the country would be a blessing, and that still wouldn't be far enough away"**

**He regretted the words the second they left his mouth. He wanted to take it back, apologise, say he was kidding, run away...ANYTHING, to make it better...but he knew full well that he couldn't.**

**"Gabi..." he began pathetically.**

**Gabriella wouldn't look at him, she didn't want his to see the tears that now stained her cheeks, rimming her eyes red. "Princess...please" Troy stuttered, reaching out a hand to turn her towards him but he was shoved back before his hand even made contact. "Don't you touch me" she spat through clenched teeth. "If that's how you feel, then fine. Consider this goodbye."**

**Troy looked up at her, his own eyes threatening to water. "Tell me what I can do to fix this Gabi...ill do anything"**

**Gabriella shook her head slowly, "There's nothing you can do" her voice began to crack, "Maybe this is meant to be it. We've had the time together that we were meant to and now we have to move on. If that's how its meant to be then we have to let go" She swallowed, trying to contain her tears as she pressed the tips of her fingers to her lips, placing a kiss there before reaching out and pressing them against Troy's lips softly, before beginning to walk away. After a few paces her walk turned into a run, the beat of her feet creating a steady rhythm in time with her sobs. All Troy could do was watch hopelessly, as the best thing that ever happened to him, his life, his future, became a shadow in the distance.**

**---------------------------------**

**BEEEP. "Ummm...hi Gabi, it's me...again...I don't know if you've been ignoring my 14 other messages...or maybe you can't find your phone charger and your phones out of battery and I'm being paranoid for no reason...but this is starting to scare me..." **

**Troy sighed heavily into the phone, "You know that I'm not that fond of doing this kinda thing over the phone so…I don't expect you to talk, but at least listen to me. I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean a word of it. I…look I'll talk to you at school tomorrow I guess…I love you" He added softly. **

**Finally Troy ended his message, the harsh beeping of the engage signal filling Gabriella's ears. **

**Each time she had listened to his sorrow filled voice, and each time it tore her heart into a million more pieces.**

**Avoiding him was the easy part, dodging him in the hallways, eating alone in the girls' toilets at lunch...not picking up his calls. It was the rumours that haunted them that were the hardest. She cheated on him. He cheated on her. The schools imagination was on overdrive. It wasn't so painful when she was with Taylor, laughing, gossiping, and keeping busy. But when she was alone…it was then that the tears started again. She had never thought that one person could cry so many tears. She laughed bitterly as she wondered if there was a world record for the most tears shed.**

**And it wasn't any easier on Troy, at basketball he couldn't keep his head in the games and the coach had said if he didn't improve soon he'd be on the bench come the annual end of year game**

**And unlike Taylor, Chad was not helpful at first. His version of help consisted of constantly saying he was better off without Gabriella, that something like this was bound to happen sooner or later and that he should just move on. But as the weeks went by, Chad proved himself wrong, he knew his best friend was wasting away.**

**-------------------------------------**

**The little girl inside everyone dreams of the perfect prom night, the perfect prom dress, the perfect prom date. But all the little girl inside Gabriella wanted was to stay at home and watch re-runs of Gilmore girls. But Taylor wouldn't accept any of the protestations that Gabriella offered as they went from shop to shop in search of their dresses and appropriate accessories before finally dragging her off for an afternoon of pampering to boost both their spirits.**

**Troy was much the same, he'd already organized to hire a suit and Chad downright refused to allow the $80 deposit go to waste, Troy was going to prom even if Chad had to tie him up and have the basketball team carry him through the doors screaming.**

**The East High gym was decorated beyond recognition, Sharpay and the rest of the prom committee and done an excellent job, transforming the place into a fairytale ballroom. The night was a blur of smiles, laughter, disgusting food...even worse punch. **

**_"And the Prom King is..." _**

**_"And the prom Queen is" _**

**As Troy and Gabriella made their way to the stage, the crowd grew silent in anticipation, but neither batted an eyelid. They accepted their crowns without so much as looking at each other. They smiled politely, said the appropriate thank-you's and then disappeared back into the sea of faces, each lost in their own world of regret.**

**Just as they thought they'd escaped the intimidating rituals that are associated with being Prom King and Queen, Sharpay's voice came loudly over the PA, bubbly and cheerful, "Now we'd like to invite our King and Queen to step forward for the dance. Everyone else, you're welcome to join at the end of the first verse."**

**Gabriella froze, her cup of punch halfway to her lips. "Well?" Taylor hissed, "What're you waiting for? Go dance already. It's your duty to your people; you are the queen after all"**

**She looked around the hall at everyone's expectant eyes. Hand shaking, she put the cup of punch down at the table and walked slowly towards the large spotlight shining in the centre of the dance floor. Reaching Troy she stopped, nervously folding her arms across her chest. Troy cleared his throat uncomfortably. **

**"So…I…uhh…may I have this dance?" he dared to look up at her. She nodded quickly and he awkwardly placed his hands on her waist as the music began to play.**

**Troy swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "So uhh…you look beautiful tonight"**

**Gabriella's arms stiffened around his neck, and she reddened, looking down at their feet, mumbling. "Umm…thanks…I mean…thank you…you look…I like your shirt…"**

**"Yeah? My mom picked it and I-"Troy stopped the minute Gabriella glared at him. **

**"Look Bolton, I have no issue with small courtesies but that is where the conversation ends. I'm only doing this because if I didn't then Taylor wouldn't let me live to see another day, get it?"**

**Troy frowned, too stubborn to know when to back off, "Well **

**Montez, I just thought seeing as we're here and will be stuck as such for the ensuing minutes I would try and be polite, you know, tell you I appreciate your presence and what not. But if you feel like taking over as Ice Queen then just know that I think Sharpay will have something to say about it."**

**Gabriella was about to open her mouth in protest when she thought better of it, knowing that stony silence would frustrate him more than a witty reply.**

**They glared at each other as the chorus of the song began, and other couples began to slowly join them on the dance floor. Neither made a move to walk away. "You can let me go now you know" Gabriella pointed out icily. Troy snorted, though still not letting go of her waist. He leant forward and whispered in her ear. "No one's forcing you to stay".**

**Gabriella narrowed her eyes and glared at Troy, she refused to be the first to back down. Unfortunately for her, Troy was no more likely to leave then she was, and so it was the stare off began. **

**They continued to glare at one another before Troy shuffled forward slightly, a moment later Gabriella followed suit. Their lips were merely millimetres apart when suddenly another couple bumped into them, causing Gabriella's nose to collide with Troy's shoulder. The sudden pain brought tears to Gabriella's eyes. Not wanting others to notice, she turned suddenly, running to the bathroom. But it wasn't the pain of her nose that caused the tears; it was the pain of having Troy within her reach only to have him torn away by something as trivial as a clumsy pair of dancers.**

**-------------------------------------**

**The flashes from the cameras were blinding her eyes. Proud dads adjusting their sons ties. Moms urging their daughters to smile WIDER for the camera. This was it. Graduation. The end of the journey. The second they called her name it would be over. High school, childhood...She swallowed and turned her head back to the stage.**

**"Samantha Barns...Troy Bolton" Troy's head snapped up at the sound of his name. He stood up, shaking and slowly made his way up to the podium. They were all cheering, except her. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She looked lost. Deep in his own thoughts he missed one of the steps up to the podium and fell flat on his face. **

**Gabriella automatically cringed and began rising from her seat, ready to aid him, but she stopped herself. No, she thought, it's over. You no longer have to be there when he falls; he won't be there for you, why should you be there for him. However, Chad and Taylor looked at her expectantly. She'd hoped they wouldn't notice her reaction, but they had, and both were wondering why she couldn't just get over her pride. But no matter how long they stared at her she would not move, and it was one of the teachers who aided Troy in getting back on his feet before the list was continued.**

**Her name came way too fast for her liking. The entire day was a blur from then on. Too many tears, too many yearbooks signed too many empty promises to "stay in touch". **

**Gabriella's mom squeezed her daughters hand as Taylor walked up to the stage, ready to deliver her Valedictorian speech. She cleared her throat and looked straight at Gabriella before starting to read with a quivering voice.**

**"I know that this is one of the most clichéd things I could say, but it's true, so I'm going to say it anyway. High school is one rough ride. Like any part of your life it has its ups and downs, but the difference is, it's your high school friendships that carry you through"**

**Taylor swallowed before moving her eyes onto Troy, "And although we may be moving on, that doesn't mean we need to move apart. Distance can challenge friendships, but friendships in turn, can challenge distance, all we need to do is have faith"**

**Troy lowered his eyes and Taylor sighed, scanning the crowd and seeing that Gabriella had done the same thing. She caught Chad's eye and he gave her an encouraging smile. "Today marks the beginning of a journey for all of us, it will be tough, and it will challenge you, but East High senior class of 2008...is ready to take it on!" The entire hall Stood up and cheered. Taylor swallowed and managed to scream through her tears. "WHAT TEAM!" Her classmates answered the familiar call, they jumped up on chairs, in the air, or on each other and screamed "WILDCATS!" Taylor threw her hat in the air to thunderous applause.**

**-------------------------------------**

**Gabriella had been sitting on the back step staring at the letter that rested on her knees for almost 2 full hours. How could she be expected to open it? A task that would take less than 5 minutes, opening and reading included, could easily change the rest of her life. This piece of paper was so powerful. It could make or break her dreams of the future. Those fine, intricately printed black puddles of ink held within them, the consequence of the past 6 years of her life. Had she worked hard enough? Was she good enough for them? Did they have more faith in her than she had in herself?**

**Troy paced his room, glaring at the letter lying on his bed. Open it, just open it, he urged himself, but couldn't force himself to even pick it up. It wasn't meant to happen this way. She was meant to be there with him, to tell him to stop being such a baby, before getting frustrated and just ripping it open herself. He groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. He picked it up then threw it back down on the bed quickly. I can't do it, he thought.**

**It's going to be the start of the semester before I open it at this rate, Gabriella cursed herself. Just open it. Like a Band-Aid, the faster you do it the less it'll hurt. But she never was good with Band-Aids. She sighed heavily, and cautiously tore the end off the envelope, almost as though she were afraid something would jump out at her. Gradually she inched the paper from within its cocoon, still not daring to unfold it, to reveal what was written in black and white, plain to see.**

**Troy squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed the envelope. His eyes were shut so tight he was seeing red spots dancing around, but that didn't matter now. He cautiously ripped open the top of the envelope and peeked out one eye. OK, so far so good. He carefully pulled out the folded piece of paper, crumpling the envelope in his hand and throwing it in the general direction of his waste paper basket. C'mon Troy...just open the other eye...you're almost there, he urged himself on. He snapped both his eyes open as wide as he could. VICTORY! He grinned to himself. Troy 1...acceptance letter 0.**

**Gabriella slipped her fingers under the edge of the paper, pushing it back to reveal the dark lettering that in the back of her mind, she knew formed words, so she took a deep breath, forcing her eyes to focus.**

**Troy slowly unfolded the letter, the college emblem catching his eye. Unfortunately he had seen so many they were all blurring into one, and so it was no solid indication of where the letter was coming from, and he had been unable to look at the return address on the envelope as it lay on his bed, so he would have to read to find out who was telling him what.**

**"Dear Miss Montez"**

**"Dear Mr. Bolton"**

**"Welcome to NYU"**

**A/n: PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! The second chapters coming soon! **


	2. Theres No Use Crying Over Spilt Cordial

**Disclaimer: We don't own High School Musical, if we did…it probably would've turned out to be a crap movie that no one watched, because most of our ideas suck, lol.**

**Authors Note: Wow! OK, first of all we are SO overwhelmed by all the reviews! Thankyou SO much, you have no idea how much we appreciate it! Secondly…actually, there is no secondly, pretty much the entire point of this Authors note is to tell all you guys how wonderful you are for reviewing! We hope you like this chapter! We had a blast writing it! It's even longer than the last one!**

**xxoo**

**Emma and Chloe**

**Chapter 2: There's No Use Crying Over Spilt Cordial**

**Troy would have been more than happy to stay in bed all morning, but the harsh buzz of his alarm, followed a few minutes later by Chad's, dragged him most unwillingly from his bed and towards the living room. It was the first official day of the rest of his life. A life that no longer included Gabriella. He still though of her. Not as much as he had to start with, but she was always haunting the back of his mind none the less.**

**Gabriella sighed, rolling over and turning off her alarm. She hadn't slept anyway, spending the night tossing and turning. The bed wasn't as comfortable as her own; the room had a faint musty smell and the curtains clashed horribly with the wallpaper. She sighed again, sitting up in bed. It just wasn't home. She missed Taylor already, she missed her mom, her dog, the posters on her bedroom wall and she missed...well she wasn't going to let herself think about that. She picked up the pile of clothes she had laid out on the end of her bed the night before and headed slowly to the shower.**

**Troy searched the apartment for some sign of Chad. Seeing as it consisted of 2 bedrooms, one kitchenette combined dining living room, a toilet and a bathroom it was not difficult to establish he was not present. The fact that his trainers were missing from their customary spot by the door just reiterated what Troy already knew, Chad had gone to shoot some hoops. Sighing heavily, not ready to be enthusiastic just yet, Troy slumped onto the couch. Were he at home he would flick on his x-box as a distraction, but alas, he was not.**

**Gabi walked out of the bathroom dressed simply in jeans and a sweater, drying her damp hair with a towel. She glanced around the place and sighed. "Home sweet home" She mumbled sarcastically. She didn't get it. She'd been handed everything she ever wanted on a silver platter. NYU, independence...but yet now that she had it...all she felt was empty. She wondered if there was a return policy at the silver platter store. She tossed the towel haphazardly back into the bathroom and sat down at the end of her bed, quickly pulling on her sneakers.**

**After staring at the ceiling, trying to pick shapes from the cracks that spread like spider webs across the ceiling, for almost 20 minutes, Troy sighed and sat up. "Time to face the world Bolton" he groaned to himself, heading back to his room to change. He lifted his arm and took a breath in. Shrugging he pulled off his t-shirt and picked up the fresh one which lay on his bed. He could get away with not showering for another day, another two if he was lucky.**

**As Gabi pulled a brush impatiently through her long curls, her thoughts turned to Taylor. In the past few days she'd had to say goodbye to her mom, her best friend and her home, how on earth could she do it without Taylor? She knew that if it wasn't for Taylor she probably wouldn't have been able to deal with the break up. If it wasn't for Taylor constantly helping her to distract herself she never would've got out of bed. And now, right when she needed her again, Taylor was practically a million miles away, on a scholarship at Stanford.**

**Troy sat staring into his bowl of cereal, he'd eaten two spoonfuls then decided he didn't feel like it, now it was becoming a mushy puddle, not at all appetizing. Thank god he had Chad here. Without him he wasn't sure he'd survive. He missed home, he missed the familiarity of the town, the guarantee that when you walk down the street there would be a familiar face to greet you, the fact that being short a dollar when you bought a shake wouldn't matter, because Mr Thompson always knew you'd fix it up later. That sort of familiarity eluded him. There was no kindness, just coldness. No mum and dad, no wildcats, no witty Taylor and Chad banter, and worst of all, No Gabi. But there was still Chad, even if it was like he'd lost half of himself with Taylor's absence, he was still there, and that was a small comfort.**

**Lost in the chilling silence of the room, Gabriella shrieked with fright when her cell phone went off loudly in her purse. Putting a hand on her heart, feeling it race, she reached in and smiled when she saw the picture of her and Taylor together, pulling faces and sticking out their tongues. She flipped her phone open and held it to her ear.**

**"Taylor! Hi!" She squealed, lying back down on her bed. **

**"Gabriella! How are you? How's the dorm? What's the food like? What are the guys like? Do the guys like the food? Do the guys your like your dorm? If yes to the 6th question then shame on you Gabriella Montez you've barely been there a day and you've already brought guys back to your dorm room!"**

**Gabriella laughed, rolling her eyes. Same old Taylor.**

**"Hello to you too Taylor, the dorm room is ok... I guess…and I haven't really had a chance to look around the place yet, I arrived late last night and haven't left the room since" **

**"So I'm guessing that's a no to the guys back to your room question. Damn" Taylor sighed with mock disappointment. "I was so looking forward to telling Troy"**

**"Taylor!" Exclaimed Gabriella.**

**"Sorry, sorry…seriously though when are you gonna tell him you got into NYU?"**

**Gabriella sighed, stating simply. "I'm not"**

**"What!" It was Taylor's turn to exclaim.**

**"I'm not" Gabrielle sighed. "There's no longer any need to tell him, I'm under no obligation any more"**

**Taylor groaned impatiently. "Look…Gabi…you never want to see Troy again, in fact you'd be happier if he got eaten by a rabid monkey, I get it, you've told me what?...A thousand times?"**

**She paused and said reasonably. "BUT…don't you think you guys at least owe it to yourselves to be friends? Or at least on speaking terms"**

**Gabi blew a raspberry into the phone. "As you pointed out earlier, I'd rather he get eaten alive by a rabid monkey…on second thought, several rabid monkeys"**

**Taylor groaned frustratedly. **

**"Gabi, honey, avoiding closure is a dangerous thing. It causes you to stress, stress causes your hair to fall out, and the end result…bald Gabi, and nobody wants that, especially not me, because you have such pretty hair! And seeing as this is our first day of college, and I want you to enjoy it, the last thing you need is to be stressing about closure"**

**"I'm not stressing!" Gabi screamed, slamming her hand down on her night stand. **

**Taylor scoffed. "Not you girl!" She exclaimed. "Me!"**

**Gabriella blinked. "What?... but that whole speech was directed at me!"**

**"No it wasn't" Exclaimed Taylor, speaking slowly as if she was explaining it to a toddler. "It was directed at me, I was trying to reassure myself."**

**Gabriella blinked again. "Uhh…Taylor…you're not making any sense"**

**Taylor sighed. "Ok…Gabi…I'll put this in a way your fragile mind can understand…you may not owe it to Troy to talk to him…you may not owe it to all the good times you had together….but you sure as hell owe it to me and Chad! You guys not talking has caused a ripple effect on the universe! Tsunamis…terrorism…floods…earthquakes…HARRY POTTER DYING IN THE SEVENTH NOVEL! Accidents? I think not! Can you really fall asleep every night knowing that it was YOU that killed Harry? Can you? Can you?"**

**Gabi swallowed, not having quite processed this. "And uhh…how does this affect you and Chad?" Gabriella queried.**

**"Oh Gabi, we were NOT forced to watch you guys make out for two years to have it end up like this!"**

**Gabi snorted. "And to think…it was you and Chad who were trying so hard to break us apart my first year at east High"**

**Taylor rolled her eyes and stated matter of factly. "Duh! That's why I'm trying to redeem myself now, I don't want to burn in the fiery pits of hell; I'm already tanned enough thankyou!"**

**Gabriella couldn't help but laugh. "Look Taylor, I know what you're trying to do, and I know this has been hard on you and Chad as well…but the last thing I want to do right now is think about Troy Bolton"**

**Taylor smiled a smug, secretive smile. "But aren't you even the least bit curious about where he ended up? What he's doing right now? I mean…for all you know, he could be in the next dorm room listening to our conversation...you know, with a glass to the wall"**

**Gabi glanced at the wall dubiously. "Well uhh…considering my neighbours came over and introduced themselves last night…I'm fairly certain that's not the case."**

**Taylor's smile grew wider. "But uhh…just for curiosities sake, if he was there, what would you do?"**

**Gabi swallowed a lump in the back of her throat. "I…I wouldn't do anything, because he's not here"**

** ----------------------**

**Chad swung open the apartment door to find Troy still slumped over his mushy cereal bowl. When Troy didn't even acknowledge his presence, Chad rolled his eyes saying loudly.**

**"So I just ran into Gabi on the courts, invited her over to dinner tomorrow, she says hey"**

**Troy's head snapped up at the sound of Gabi's name, causing the milk from his cereal bowl to slosh into his lap.**

**"WHAT!" he exclaimed loudly, eyes bulging.**

**Chad grinned, satisfied. "Ahh, the beast awakens!"**

**Troy stared at him, stuttering. "Wh…what? Gabi? Here? Dinner? What!"**

**Chad snickered. "Uhh…I may or may not have been messing with you"**

**Troy glared at him menacingly. "That is so beyond funny"**

**Chad shrugged. "I know…it's hilarious, you swear that you're over her but every time I mention her name, that happens" he gestured to the milk now staining the crotch of Troy's pants.**

**Troy continued to glare at Chad, highly unimpressed. "No…THAT happens, because you always scare me"**

**Chad shook his head still grinning. "YES and I manage to scare you, because you've turned into a pansy because you're pining for Gabriella"**

**"I'm not pining. What's it gonna take to get that into your head?" Troy scowled.**

**"Well my hair kinda has this muffling effect, so shouting might help. Doesn't mean I'll believe you, but it might help" Chad noted seriously.**

**Troy rolled his eyes. "Chad we've been through this ok...just leave it. The last thing I need on my first day of College is to be thinking about her"**

**Chad snorted back a laugh, "Like you weren't already thinking about her. C'mon man, get over yourself and call her already. It'll be better for both of us. Possibly me more so than you, but we will both benefit to some degree"**

**Troy snorted. "Let's pretend for a second that I'm NOT over her, which I am. What do you want me to say to her? I've tried talking to her Chad, she hates me, she won't hear me out...and err...how would you benefit might I ask?"**

**"Well you haven't tried hard enough then have you! And I would benefit in that, if you two could at least be civil to one another then I could get back to insulting Taylor, rather than discussing you and Gabi…I miss having someone who appreciates my wit. You just don't satisfy my craving for attention" Chad attempted to pout, failing miserably. **

**Troy ran a hand through his hair. "I haven't tried hard enough! There is nothing I want...I mean...there WAS nothing I wanted more than for her to forgive me ok, but she hurt me too, I mean..." he paused, feeling himself getting worked up. He took a deep breath. "Maybe it was all for the best"**

**"For the best?" Chad was wide eyed**

**"The best?" he shrieked to reiterate his point, "How can Potter dying be for the best?"**

**Troy raised an eyebrow, a look of confusion on his face, 'What?"**

**"The fact that you won't utter a word to Gabi is destroying the world! First natural disasters, then not so natural ones, like Potter dying in the seventh book. And it's all your fault!"**

**Chad blinked, trying to process this. "OK let me get this straight...you think that...Gabi and I...natural disasters...Harry potter...hang on a minute, Taylor helped you come up with this theory didn't she?"**

**Chad merely shrugged. "There may have been a conversation, but that's not the point. The point is, we have an apartment together, in New York City, we're independent, no more mom and dad, no more rules, no more being grounded...yet you're miserable"**

**Troy frowned, trying to think of a smart comeback, "Well…I miss my Mom ok?"**

**Chad burst out laughing, "I'm sorry, you what?"**

**"I miss my mom" Troy repeated, "Gabi has nothing to do with my misery. I simply miss home."**

**"Oh Troy" Chad was still laughing, "Wait till I tell your mom that!"**

**Troy rolled his eyes. "Got anymore whacky theories for me Chad? Or can I go change my pants now?" **

**Chad grinned. "Oh I've got one or two" Troy ignored him and started to walk towards his room when Chad called out. **

**"What if she's here man? What would you do if you saw her in your first lecture?"**

**Troy called from his room, "She's not though, so it doesn't matter what I'd do if she were, its all hypothetical and therefore pointless and a waste of energy to think about it"**

**Chad groaned, "Don't pull that 'I'm deep' crap with me man. If she were here you'd be doing back flips over the moon…err sun…err in the sky."**

**Troy came out of his room, "No I'd be avoiding her for all that I'm worth!"**

**Chad gave him a long thoughtful look then said knowingly. "Dude, lying to me is one thing...but lying to yourself?"**

**"It's not lying" stated Troy before muttering, "I prefer to think of it as my individual interpretation of the facts"**

**"Pfft" Chad rolled his eyes. "Well individually interpret THIS fact Troy. Something happened when Gabi came to East High, Change, for the better. I've never seen you happier than when you were with her, so you need to swallow you're damn pride!"**

**Chad's last statement caused Troy to snap, "Look I don't expect you to understand. You've had Taylor there all along, but this is different okay? So just back off!"**

**"Taylor?" Chad pulled a face, "There's a huge difference between Taylor and I and you and Gabi, in that we are not, and never have been, dating"**

**"Exactly" sighed Troy, "So again…please…just back off"**

**Chad threw his hands in the air and stepped back a little. "All right...I'm backing off; live in your little world of denial. That's fine by me. I hope the weather's nice there. But just answer me this. If you had the chance to win her back...would you take it?"**

**Troy opened his mouth. His automatic response was going to be no, but he changed his mind, deciding honesty was the best policy.**

**"Without a doubt, yes"**

**Chad nodded, thinking that it wouldn't be very tactful to yell I TOLD YOU SO. "I thought so, dude you better hurry if you don't want to miss the tour of the College...actually I've got to head off too"**

**As Chad slipped out the door once again Troy was left with only his thoughts for company, Chad's voice echoing in his head.**

** "What would I do?" He sighed heavily, "What would I do? I'd wrap her in my arms and not let go. I'd tell her I need her and can't do this without her...but that would be if she were here. And she's not. Taylor would have told Chad and Chad would have spilt the beans by now"**

** ----------------------**

**The hustle and bustle of East High was nothing compared to NYU. Everyone was in a hurry; no one ever seemed to be in the same place for more than ten seconds. The long corridors echoed with murmured conversation and the courtyards were scattered with hundreds of groups of students.**

**It was easy to feel out of place. The way the buildings loomed over you, the way the corridors seemed to just swallow you up, making you drown in a sea of faces. Just another blur to those around you. Just another irrelevant blip on the radar screen, not mattering to those around you because they didn't know you, weren't involved with who you were or what you were doing.**

**Gabriella glanced at the crumpled map in her hand then looked up at the brick wall in front of her. OK, something wasn't right. She had taken a right and was meant to be at the courtyard where she was supposed to meet for the tour...but instead she had run straight into a brick wall. **

**"Stupid Map" She mumbled, squinting at it, trying to make sense of it. She cocked her head to the side, turning the map upside down, then right side up again, feeling like a tourist.**

**Troy looked around him, puzzled at his surroundings. This wasn't what he was looking for. He was meant to be at the library steps, not at the bookshop. He'd made it to the library yesterday, so what had stopped him from getting there today. This place was too big, too confusing, too daunting, and too new. It was like he was in a foreign country, rather than a foreign state. All the signs were fancily worded, and the ones that weren't had such intricate lettering he couldn't read it. And worse still he'd left his map in the apartment in his rush to leave.**

**After wandering the place for what seemed like hours, Gabi had been kindly pointed in the right direction by the leader of the group that was meeting at the library steps. She assured Gabi that she had done the same thing on her first day, but nevertheless, Gabi reddened in embarrassment to discover the courtyard was right behind her, clearly marked by a large sign. She made a mental note to ritualistically burn her map later. **

**As she joined the group she scanned it for a friendly face, someone to befriend, and someone who seemed as lost as her. But no one caught her eye. She knew this was because she was searching for a particular face. Taylor or Chad…or even Troy. She tried to ignore the disappointment that weighed her heart down when she didn't see any of them. She knew she would not see Taylor, and although she secretly hoped, she didn't expect to see troy. The fact that not even Chad was present made her want to cry.**

**"Sorry I'm late!" Troy exclaimed breathlessly as he ran up to his group that was about to leave. **

**"I forgot my map and ended up walking into a random lecture and then someone told me to go left and I wound up at the cafeteria so..." **

**He stopped realising that he was babbling. He coughed and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry". **

**Laura, the group leader laughed. **

**"Don't worry, less than a minute ago I had this poor girl come up to me asking for directions when her group was standing right behind her, she went as bright as a tomato when I pointed that out to her" **

**Troy breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn't the only one making a total ass of himself today.**

**Gabriella had pulled out a note book, attempting to take notes on the various buildings and what happened where but she was struggling to keep up, she couldn't get all the information down quickly enough. Her group leader, noticing her effort let out a soft chuckle. **

**"Just so you know, we'll give you some hand books and other information at the end of the session. So don't try and remember everything we say. You're not in a lecture yet." **

**It was meant kindly enough, but Gabriella felt like she was back in grade school, being instructed by a teacher as though she was too simple minded to understand.**

**Troy dropped to the back of his Group as Laura droned on and on about Professor whathisname naming the whatsits building. He stared around, taking everything in. He figured that he wouldn't REALLY need to take note of anything that was being said, after all, he wasn't doing a degree in the history of the school. Satisfied with his logic, he continued to daydream. Maybe if he had been paying just a little more attention, he would've seen a guy a few people up from him collide with a pretty brunette girl from another group, causing her books to fly everywhere. But no, the pigeon he was staring at was far too fascinating.**

**As her group continued, and she had recollected her books with the help of the boy she'd collided with, Gabriella refocused her attention on what her leader was saying. Had she been looking around her, rather than directly ahead, she would have seen the tall, mousy haired boy who lagged behind the bulk of his group, distracted by a lone pigeon. But she was too focused, unable to be distracted, which eventually caused her to catch her heel on a trash can as she passed it, almost falling into it. She shuddered with the thought. Who wanted to smell like trash on their first day of college? What kind of impression would that give when it came to making friends?**

**Troy waved goodbye to the pigeon as his group moved on, attracting some weird looks from some older students. **

**"Blah blah blah blah blah lunch blah blah" **

**The only word he picked out of Laura's boring speech as they walked was lunch. Good. He was feeling a bit peckish, since most of his cereal had ended up on his lap this morning. And you just weren't a Bolton if you turned down a free lunch. The rest of his group suddenly burst out laughing at something. OK...maybe I better start paying attention, he thought.**

**Gabriella sighed, her thoughts beginning to wander off, she had absorbed as much information as she felt she could, having made sure she was at the front of the group as often as she could. She smiled inwardly when the leader, whose name she still hadn't managed to catch, announced they would be joining the other group for lunch in a matter of minutes. Perhaps that was where all the friendly people had ended up, because so far no one had spoken a word to anyone, and there was no way that they were ALL interested in what the leader was pointing out, telling them, advising them on what was and wasn't acceptable by the universities standards.**

**Troy grinned, satisfied, seeing a large barbeque area set up with sandwiches, sausages, cups of drink and biscuits set up on the grass in front of one of the large halls. Most of his group headed straight to the line for food, while the rest stayed to mingle with the other group that had just arrived.**

**Uninterested in small talk he gradually made his way towards the cups of drinks, pausing briefly to admire a few nearby students who were engaged in an impromptu game of basketball. He wondered if he would have the time to indulge in the sport as much as he had in the past. He highly doubted it considering this was college. But he could think about that later, because at that moment his stomach was trying to begin a conversation with him, grumbling loudly about the lack of food it had consumed.**

**How had this happened? Gabriella thought bitterly. When they had reached the lunch area, she had bent down for ONE second to tie her shoelace, but when she stood up she had found her whole group had scattered. Damn. All she wanted was the small talk! One meaningless conversation about the weather with one of these stupid people was all she asked for! Sighing, she adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and headed over to the tables to grab a much needed drink.**

**As Troy got closer and closer to the table he noticed there was only ONE cup left with red cordial in it. He had to have it. No matter what the cost he was dieing of thirst and would not let it be taken from him. Well okay...maybe dieing is an exaggeration, but it was red and he refused to have to settle for second best. Gabriella had always called having to win pride, but he preferred to think of it as his competitive streak.**

**Gabriella smiled happily when she reached the drinks table and saw one glass of red cordial amongst the sea of cups of green cordial. At least SOMETHING was going right today. She may be alone and friendless in an unfamiliar state nursing a broken heart and a scraped knee from her fall earlier, but at least she'd have her cordial damn it!**

**Quick! Troy thought, if you stand here thinking about your victory you'll miss out on it. And so he made a fast grab for the cordial.**

**Out of the corner of Gabi's eye she saw a hand flying towards the cup. NO! That cup of cordial was the only thing that would keep her sane today and it was NOT going to be taken from under her nose if she had anything to do with it! Her hand shot out and closed over it just as the other hand did.**

**Two pairs of eyes met over the clutched cup. They glared one another down for a moment before there was a flash of recognition.**

**"Troy?"**

**"Gabi?"**

**The shock of seeing one another caused their hands to be suddenly loosened from around the cup, sending it hurdling to the ground. No victory for either party. Just very soggy shoes.**

**"Wh….wh….wha.." Gabi started to say, eyes wide, staring at him as if he was a ghost.**

**Troy couldn't stop staring at her, wanting to pinch her to see if she was real, but having enough sense to know that this probably wouldn't go down well if it was in fact Gabi. He settles for poking her tentatively on the arm instead. It FELT real enough…and the strange look she was giving him definitely seemed real enough.**

**Gabi swatted away Troy's prodding finger. **

**"Stop it! That hurts" She pouted, having found her voice and ability to form a coherent sentence once again.**

**Troy frowned and pulled back his hand. Gabi barely had time to process her next thought as he began to walk away. Figuring avoidance was going to be the technique of choice, Gabi turned in the opposite direction, opting for the back of the building as a good place to hide her presence until the groups moved on once again.**

**She broke into a run as she rounded the corner. She felt like she was about to throw up. What was he doing here? He wasn't meant to be here! This wasn't right at all! How dare he...She never got to finish that thought as she ran smack bang into someone, flying backwards and landing on her back with a loud thud.**

**As Troy jogged around behind the building he got lost in his own thoughts, not paying attention to the path ahead, his feet finding their own way over the uneven ground. Who'd have thought Chad would be able to foresee the future? Just as he was pondering this thought his head collided roughly with that of another person, sending him sprawling to the ground in a tangled heap.**

**Dazed, Troy stood up slowly, disoriented from the fall. Ignoring the pile of books that had fallen from his bag, he leant over the other person. **

**"I'm so sorry I wasn't looking…" He started then trailed off as he realised who it was. **

**Gabriella rubbed a spot on the back of her head, still in pain from hitting the ground. She shook her head as the boy began to apologize then stopped short. She knew that voice. It was so familiar. She must have hit her head harder than she thought. Just to be sure she looked up. No. No mistake here.**

**Troy's first instinct was to run again, but then, look where that landed him last time, in a heap on the floor with a bump on his head that he knew would swell up to the size of a gold ball within the hour. Ok brain, he thought, the girl of my dreams is laying on the grass in front of me, quite possibly unconscious...what do I do? **

**He thought for a second then grinned sheepishly going a bit red, ok definitely not that. SHUT UP BRAIN. Realising she was still lying there, he quickly knelt down beside her putting a hand gently on her arm. "Gabriella, are you ok?"**

**Gabriella pushed herself into a sitting position "I'm fine" she noted bluntly, but only to keep herself from revealing her inner thoughts. The thoughts that were screaming at her to say no and ask him if he could kiss her better. **

**Troy narrowed his eyes, concerned, reaching out and stroking her forehead gently. "Are you sure? That was a pretty hard hit!" He snorted. "I'd know"**

**Gabriella closed her eyes, his fingers against her skin a welcome feeling "I umm…it'll be alright. It was just a shock is all"**

**The concern didn't leave Troy's eyes, but he nodded. "All right, but just sit down for a few minutes ok, just in case"**

**Gabriella tried to pull herself up, protesting. "NO really, I'm fine" But Troy gently pushed her back down.**

**"Please Gabi? For me?"**

**Gabi rolled her eyes but smiled at the gesture sitting back down. Troy smiled back and stood up, starting to collect her books for her. **

**"So…" he tried to think of something to say. But there was just one question on his mind, one thing he has to know. He had to ask, sure she may just scream at him, but it was worth a try. **

**"Why didn't you tell me you got in here?"**

**"Huh?" Gabi nearly choked on her own breath, "Why didn't you tell me?"**

**"I didn't know you were here" Troy exclaimed.**

**"Point proven" Gabriella smiled softly, "I didn't know you were here either"**

**Troy looked down at the ground with a small smile. "Well…it's good to see a familiar face"**

**Gabriella nodded slightly then laughed, sticking her tongue out at him. "Yeah, even if it is your ugly one"**

**"And a familiar voice is more than welcome, even if it is your high-pitched whine" Troy poked her in the side teasingly, "C'mon, let's get some lunch. I'll shout you a cordial to replace that other one" He held out his hand to help her up**

**The imaginary warning light in Gabriella's brain kicked into overdrive, but she politely told it to get stuffed. She took his hand and said with a smile. **

**"And how about a new pair of shoes to replace the ones you soaked in red cordial?"**

**Troy pulled her up, not letting go of her hand, glancing sideways at her with a big grin. "OK…now you're pushing it princess"**

**Gabriella couldn't help but smile back, his grin was contagious "I guess my charm is lost on you. Then again, 3 months of not speaking would put anyone out of practice, right?"**

**Troy snorted a little, "Your charm may be lost but you ego sure isn't. I see that my lack of presence has allowed it to grow and bloom huh? How do you breathe with that thing constantly hovering around you, sucking away your oxygen?"**

**Gabrielle smirked. "Same way I put up with YOU when we were dating!" **

**Troy pulled a disgusted face, "You kiss your ego?"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes as they started to stroll through the school. "Yup, and it ALWAYS lets me pick the movie when we go out"**

**Troy chuckled, squeezing her hand softly, "Whenever I wanted to see a movie you weren't into I took Chad, which must count for SOMETHING!"**

**Gabriella squeezed back, laughing. **

**"Ahhh, so that's your excuse for hanging out with Chad more than you did with me! Oh and err...that must also be why I found the ticket stub for Princess Diaries 2 in your wallet!"**

**"What?" Troy groaned, "I thought I got rid of that before you found it." he let out a sigh, as though his secret had been revealed" You didn't find the one for the Beauty and the Beast marathon by any chance? I pre-purchased it so I wouldn't miss out but then I lost it."**

**"Hmmm, you probably left it where you left your manhood!" She quipped sweetly. "But don't worry, your secrets safe with me" She motioned zipping her lips with her free hand. **

**Troy continued to look like a lost puppy, "How can I have left it with my manhood when I've never had any?" He cast her a look of mock confusion, "Are you saying the ticket was a figment of my imagination?"**

**Gabriella laughed, letting go of his hand and reaching up to ruffle his hair. "OK, I give up, I can't make fun of you when you're this pathetic"**

**Troy let a grin slide onto his face, "Thank god, because I couldn't degrade myself for much longer"**

**Gabi laughed as they rounded a corner. "Me neither, I mean, don't get me wrong, normally I could degrade you till the cows come home, but my head still hurts from the collision so…" **

**"Aww" Troy frowned, brushing back her hair to take a look, "Do you want some Tylenol? I think I have some in my bag" He gestured to the pack that was slung lazily over his shoulder, hanging on by one of the straps**

**Gabriella pouted, shaking her head childishly. "Nope, don't want it, can't make me"**

**"Alright, alright" Troy help up his hands in defence, grinning slightly, "I just thought I'd offer. I'm not gonna shove it down your throat okay?"**

**"Good, because I'd bite you"**

**Troy raised his eyebrow slightly with a small grin. "Well uhh…In that case…"**

**Gabi rolled her eyes. "Shut up.  
Troy chuckled but didn't say anything in response, just happy to have Gabriella back by his side. He gazed at her for a few moments as they walked. Wondering why he ever gave up trying to apologize, how he could just let her go.**

**Gabi blinked. "What?" She asked, confused. **

**"Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" She wiped at her mouth with her sleeve. "Did I get it?"**

**Troy nodded, frowning slightly, "Yeah…you got it…" Ok so she didn't feel the same. He should just let go of any hopes he had of them being together ever again.**

**Do I have something on my face? Gabi groaned inwardly. Urrgh, smooth Montez, real smooth, she scolded herself. Yup, with lines like that she could expect a marriage proposal by the end of the day. She mentally slapped herself, and then stopped, snapping out of her thoughts and looking around. **

**"Err…Troy, where are we?" She asked, glancing around for some sort of sign and grabbing his forearm.**

**"We're at…" Troy looked around his eyes growing wide as he did so…"I don't know where we're at."**

**They groaned unanimously, they were lost for the second time that day. And neither of them possessed a map as they had discarded them when they found their groups.**

**Gabriella groaned. **

**"Great, I'm lost in a strange school with the guy that had to write L and R on his hands to pass Drivers Ed" **

**She put an arm around his waist and gave him a little squeeze to show she was kidding and laughed.**

**He sighed, trying to find something, anything that was familiar, but there was noting. **

**"And I'm stuck with little miss organized, who's not so…uhh…organized" He smiled softly, trying to keep the mood light.**

**Gabriella swatted him on the arm playfully. "I'm organised enough to know that we should go sit down at that bench over there" She paused and pointed at a wooden bench on the grass. "So as to uhh...preserve our energy for the long trek back to civilisation later" She laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the bench.**

**He sat at the bench distractedly. This was good. This was very good. She was prolonging their time together. He couldn't have asked for anything better. A she sat he casually draped his arm over the back of the chair. Knowing it was a cheesy movie move, but it was getting them closer so he was willing to risk it.**

**Gabi glanced at his hand but made not attempt to move or slap him. She didn't know what on earth had gotten into her, but she frankly didn't care, this felt…right, and she wasn't going to let her brain wreck this for the moment.**

**She smiled at him and rolled her eyes. "Troy, that's so seventh grade"**

**"Well mom keeps telling me not to loose my childish innocence" He attempted to grin adorably.**

**Gabi laughed and reached over, pinching his cheeks. "I agree, you're far too cute this way"**

**Troy swatted her hand way "Oh stop it. We both know that YOU'RE the cute one"**

**"Leave me alone! I still insist that I'm not the ONLY 18 year old who still has her Barbie collection! It's not cute, they're collectibles!" She pouted and folded her arms across her chest mock angrily.**

**"Uh huh, and if I save my trash I can sell it on eBay and make millions" laughed Troy, reaching up and ruffling Gabriella's hair**

**Gabriella ducked away from his hand, squealing, then leaned over and bit his hand. She glared at him playfully. "That's for messing with the hair!"**

**"Ow ow ow!" Troy pulled his hand away, holing it up and staring at it.**

**"What're you doing?" Gabriella frowned, confused.**

**"Checking I didn't get rabies" He shrugged nonchalantly**

**Gabriella glared at him. "I can safely tell you that no, you don't...but you WILL get a slap in the face in a second if you're not careful!"**

**Troy couldn't help but laugh, "Now there's the Gabi that I'm used to, the one who won't take any crap from anyone!"**

**Gabi grinned. "Damn right Bolton! So did you uhh..." She paused and looked down, continuing quietly. "Miss ummm...being used to...me?" She blinked, knowing that that made no sense, but nervously watching his face for a reaction.**

**A slow smile spread across Troy's face, Gabriella's nervousness getting greater with every gradually passing second. **

**"Gabi" Troy began, "I can't-"**

**Gabriella felt her heart skip a beat**

**"-understand a word you just said" he finished.**

**Her heart fell, shattering against her stomach.**

**She turned to him, voice shaking. "Troy…what I'm trying to say is…ummm…we…." **

**She stopped and sighed, turning away from him, lip quivering. "Maybe we should get back"**

**Troy tentatively put a hand on her arm. "Gabi...What's wrong?" Gabi blinked back tears and turned around with a smile. "Nothing, its nothing" She replied quickly**

**Troy frowned, hating that Gabriella was lying to him. **

**"Look we may not be as close as we were, but I hope you feel like you can still be comfortable around me and tell me when something's bothering you" He took her hand gently in his own, squeezing it reassuringly. **

**Gabriella put her head in her hands, exclaiming. **

**"URGH! That's just it Troy! We're NOT as close as we were, I haven't spoken to you in three months and I HATE it. I hate that we fought, I hated not having you to turn to last year and I hate…that this feels so right, being here with you right now, I can't help it. This morning I was still SO angry, and SO confused…but all that disappeared when I saw you and I don't know why!"**

**Troy swallowed. This was everything that he wanted her to be saying, but so many things he could not bear to hear. Her softly spoken words were tearing him apart. Why couldn't this have all been said months ago, before things got so complicated. It wasn't that he didn't love her, that he didn't want to be the one to make her smile. It was that he didn't think he could. He'd let her down once and what if it were to happen again? He couldn't lose her a second time...But maybe, just maybe, the chance of more time, something that would last, would be worth the risk of so much heart ache.**

**Not being able to express all this in words, he tentatively took both of her hands in his, pulling them away from her face. he took a deep breath "Gabriella...I...there is so much stuff I need to say to you right now...but I can't because every time I look at you all I can think about is how beautiful you are and how truly sorry I am to have hurt you..."**

**Gabriella felt the pieces of her heart crumbling into even tinier shards. **

**"I…you…so don't look at me! Then tell me. It's not hard. All you have to do is look at…that tree over there" She pointed to a tree over Troy's shoulder, "And then you can talk till you fall over!"**

**He opened his mouth in surprise. "You want me to tell a TREE how I feel about you?" **

**Gabriella let out a sort of strangled laugh through her tears and nodded. Troy shot her a weak grin. **

**"All right..." He turned to the tree. **

**"Tree...Umm...How I feel about Gabriella is how you feel about dirt...I mean...not that Gabriella's dirt or anything…but umm...you know...you can't live without dirt...umm...basically Gabriella is my dirt, because I can't live without her, every second I'm not with her I'm thinking about her, and when I AM with her I'm thinking how crap it's going to be when I'm not with her...she...she's amazing...like umm...dirt" **

**He groaned inwardly as he finished. Oh dear god Bolton, he thought to himself. You just called the girl you love dirt.**

**He shot a glance and Gabriella and his heart sank. Tears were freely flowing down her face now. Not the effect he had wanted to have. **

**"Don't cry Princess! I didn't' mean to call you dirt. But you told me to talk to the tree and I did!"**

**He was starting to panic, and Gabi smiled slightly, "It's not that…it's that…I know how you're feeling and it's tearing me up and now…now I have to see you everyday and it's going to be so hard…I don't think I can do it without…well" Gabriella blushed, "Without wanting to jump you every time I see you"**

**Troy swallowed, going red. "I err...I'm sure we could come to some arrangement regarding that" **

**Gabi smacked him lightly on the arm and he laughed. "No more tears princess" He whispered, leaning forward and kissing the tears away from her cheeks.**

**Gabriella let out a contented sigh as he wrapped his arms around her. More than anything she missed these moments, the comfort of his arms, the happiness that could be radiated by the silences between them. As she was getting lost in her thoughts he whispered softly into her ear. **

**"I guess I was right all along then."**

**She pulled back slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Huh?"**

**Troy smiled, unsure of how Gabriella was going to react, "I guess I was right. You know about the college thing. I told you that you didn't need to worry because we were going to get into the same place."**

**Gabriella's eyes narrowed, pulling away from him. "And what's that supposed to mean? That I'm at fault for being too paranoid about not wanting to be separated from my boyfriend?" **

**Troy shook his head emphatically, 'No! No that's not what I was saying. I just meant that...I don't know. I was just saying that if we'd been reasonable about it we'd have seen it all work out and wouldn't have had to suffer any of this"**

**He let out a frustrated sigh, "And now it seems that we can't STOP fighting"**

**Gabriella sighed and stared down at her feet for what felt like forever. "You know what?" She stood up and continued, clearly upset, voice cracking. **

**"You were right, we didn't have anything to worry about...and I guess everything you that night was right. Do you remember the last thing you said to me Troy?" She struggled to hold back her tears again.**

**Troy cringed; it was moments like this that guys live in dread of. He didn't know a single male who was good with remembering things that had been said in the past, dates of anniversaries etc. He struggled to think but couldn't. **

**"Uhh…that you're gorgeous?" He knew this kind of ploy was fruitless but he couldn't go on looking constipated as he tried to remember.**

**Gabi swallowed a lump the size of Albuquerque in the back of her throat. She would've expected to feel shattered, she would've expected to scream or hit him over the head, but all she felt was numb. She breathed out slowly, nodding saying blankly. **

**"Close...but no...you said that being halfway across the country from me wasn't far enough...well, we pretty much can't achieve that by being in the same college, but you know what, I'll try and honour your wish by staying as far away form you as I can"**

**"I said it in the heat of the moment!" Troy protested, hoping she'd see he was being honest. "Having you here isn't close enough. It should be you I'm living with, not Chad!"**

**Gabriella shook her head bitterly. "This is just too damn hard Bolton...I...I'll see you around". She turned and walked away, and Troy felt the last speck of hope slip through his fingers.**

**A/n: How was it? Please review and let us know what you think of this chapter! The next chapter should be up soon, hopefully by Sunday if we are not too busy (we live in different states of Australia, so it's pretty difficult, lol). PLEASE REVIEW! Oh, just to clear it up, Chad shares an apartment with Troy, but goes to Columbia. **


	3. Willing To Forgive?

**Disclaimer: We don't own High School Musical. (Emma: but I do have 4 copies of the dvd!)**

**A/n: THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR THE BEAUTIFUL REVIEWS! Seriously, you have no idea how much it means to us that people like our writing! **

**Oooh, and SO sorry for the lack of updates recently, I was on a holiday in Bali and therefore we couldn't write! I hope everyone can forgive us! I'll uhh…give everyone fake Luis Vitton souvenirs to make up for it:p lol.**

**Hope everyone likes this chapter! We really enjoyed writing it!**

**Xxoo**

**Emma**

**Chapter Three: Willing To Forgive?**

**Troy slammed the front door shut behind him as he entered the apartment. How could that have just happened? He sighed, kicking off his shoes and walking into the lounge, planning to go into his bedroom, destroy everything in site and stay in there till his life was over. **

**Just as he was starting to enjoy this whole self-pity thing, Chad popped out from the bathroom, grinning stupidly. "So? How was it? How'd it go? You guys back together yet? Is there a bun in the oven? Will I be an uncle anytime soon?"**

**Troy blinked, staring at him confused for a second before his eyes widened. "YOU KNEW!" He exploded.**

**Chad grinned. "You can thank me later!"**

**Troy shook his head in disbelief. "Thanks for the heads up man…" he said bitterly.**

**Chad being well…Chad, was oblivious to the fact that his best friend was clearly upset. "Like I said… You can thank me later, now I don't ask for much…but some sort of cash sum..." **

**Troy groaned, clenching his fists, "Don't you get it man? Now she hates me even more than she already did. If you'd just told me she was here It wouldn't be so bad, but you didn't and now…well now…I've probably lost her for good" Troy's voice fell, filled with dissapointment.**

"**Hey" Chad held up his hands defensively, "Don't try to pin this on me!"**

**Troy slumped down onto the couch, putting his head in his hands, sighing deeply.**

**Chad looked at him for a few moments, not knowing what to do, before asking hesitantly. "So uhh…what happened?"**

**Troy didn't answer, he simply crawled into a ball on the couch and started beating himself on the head with a pillow. "Stupid...stupid...stupid" he mumbled to himself.**

**Chad paused for a second, thinking then walked over and grabbed the pillow. "Now I don't know much about this self help crap…but I think the first step would be putting down the pillow"**

**Troy simply glared at Chad, causing him to back away, "Alright, just don't blame me when you don't even have enough brain cells to tell Gabi you love her"**

"**That's assuming that I ever actually get close enough to her to tell her without her killing me" spat Troy**

**Chad frowned, knowing his friend was genuinely distraught and that it wasn't just an act to make him feel guilty, "Look man, she loves you too. She'll get over it it's just that…well she's female. Totally different piece of cake to you and I having a fight you know?"**

**Troy hung his head, defeated. "Chad…I was so close to getting back everything I ever wanted today…I told her how I felt…she told me how she felt…and then she freaked out…all because I'm so STUPID STUPID STUPID" With this Troy started hitting his head repeatedly on the arm of the couch.**

**Chad reached out and pulled troy off the couch with one swift movement, "If you continue to abuse our furniture then I'm going to be forced to remove you till you can treat it with the respect it deservers. Now…take 3 deep breaths and tell me what happened."**

**Troy didn't take 3 deep breaths but he did proceed to tell Chad what had happened. **

**Chad's eyes grew wider and wider as Troy recounted the story.**

"…**And then she told me it was too hard...and she walked away…I'm pretty sure for good this time"**

**Chad nodded slowly, but couldn't help saying. "But then…she DID say she wants to jump you every time she sees you" he grinned and nudged Troy. "And that definitely should count for something"**

**Troy rolled his eyes. "I knew I shouldn't have told you that"**

"**Hmmm…what are the chances do you think of her jumping me to get to you?" Chad asked with a wide eyed grin.**

**Troy frowned thoughtfully then his jaw dropped with the realization of what Chad was suggesting, "There is a HUGE difference between her saying she wants to jump me and ACTUALLY jumping me. Besides, no one, not even Taylor, wants to jump you. Your dog maybe…or possibly your mom…"**

**Chad snorted. "Defensive much?…See if my mum invites you over for Thanksgiving ever again!"**

**Troy sighed. "Sorry…I just…don't know how things turned from good to…the worst thing that's ever happened to me…in…what? 3 seconds"**

**Chad thought for a second. "Well that's probably because of that thing you said…you know….that you were right?"**

"**Thank you captain obvious" Troy mumbled. "Got any more genius plans for me to win her back?"**

"**Well now that you mention it" Chad took a deep breath, about to unveil yet another of His and Taylor's genius plans but was stopped by Troy's wordless threat to silence him with a sneaker. "Or maybe not" he conceded.**

"**Good" Troy nodded.**

"**However…"**

**Troy groaned, sure he didn't want to know about whatever Chad was going to say.**

"**I could help plan get you guys back together" Chad offered.**

**Troy looked confused, "Isn't that what I just asked you NOT to do?"**

"**Yeah but hear me out…" Chad began, taking a deep breath. "I Have connections within the uhh…Montez ranks, information could be exchanged…meetings organized…"**

**Troy rolled his eyes. "So...meaning you and Taylor will talk, come up with a wacky plan, and I'll end up with a bruised ego and because it's Gabi, most likely a slap in the face and a kick in the balls?"**

**Chad grinned and shrugged. "So you're in?"**

"**NO!" cried Troy**

"**Aww come on, it's not like your ego can suffer much more damage than it has. I mean today practically destroyed it already" noted Chad**

"**Exactly" Troy agreed, "Thus it requires time for recuperation, and even if it didn't I wouldn't be crazy enough to allow you to attempt a repair job on the mess that now constitutes mine and Gabi's relationship. Get it?"**

**Chad frowned, "Not exactly…I got a little confused by all those big words."**

"**LEAVE IT ALONE" Troy screamed, getting increasingly frustrated. "Maybe if I can't even hold on to her for one morning I don't deserve her at all…just…do us both a favour and leave it alone"**

**Chad frowned, speaking softly "But that's just it Troy...it's you and Gabriella...I don't think you can ever just be left alone. You guys are just...one of those couples"**

**"One of those couples?" Troy look up incredulously, "How can we be 'one of those couples' when we're not even a couple any more?"**

**"Dude, don't ask me how the crazy tangled web you call you and Gabriella's relationship works…I'm just a concerned observer…however…I can tell you that she needs you…and I'm pretty damn sure judging by your abuse of the furniture you need her, you've always had each other to turn to and it's going to be hard to change that…even if you guys aren't 'a couple'"**

**Troy sighed and dropped his eyes, staring at his shoes awkwardly yet again. "What if we can't stay like that Chad?" He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, "What if Gabi and I have had our chance and now its time to move on?"**

**Chad rolled his eyes, "Well if that's the case then we're gonna have to wind back the clock and find you some extra time"**

**Troy sighed again, muttering quietly. "Life isn't like a game of basketball...there's no extra time...there are no second chances to get a basket..."Chad grinned smugly to himself, whispering almost inaudibly.**

**"There is when I'm the referee"**

**----------------------**

**Taylor hit the play button on her answering machine. With a groan she skipped the 12 messages from her mom, all of which were just asking if she was okay, if she was studying, if she was eating right. She was about to skip the 13th message on her machine when she realized it wasn't her mom. Gabriella's teary voice filled the silence of the room. **

**"Taylor…I…Troy…Call me please, I wish you were here…"**

**Taylor gulped. "Uh oh…that can't be good" She said quietly to herself, careful not to wake her roommate. She pulled her cell phone out and quickly dialled Gabriella's number, somehow sensing that Gabriella wasn't exactly calling her to ask her to be maid of honour at her and Troy's wedding. **

**Gabriella fumbled with her phone, looking at the screen and sighing with relief when she saw tailors name on the ID. As she hit the answer button a fresh lot of tears began to roll down her face, "I want to go home" she wailed into the phone.**

**Taylor bit her lip, worried."Gabriella what happened!" She exclaimed. **

**Gabriella swallowed, trying to calm down. "Taylor I'm so stupid...I just wasn't thinking...he was right there and I couldn't stop myself...and then..." She stopped taking a deep breath, unable to continue.Taylor frowned, it was times like this that she hated, times when the best she could do was show her sympathy with words rather than a hug.**

**"It's okay Gabi, I'm sure he's probably beating himself up more than you are right now." She may not have known the details, but obviously things hadn't gone according to plan. If Gabriella's reaction was anything to go by there hadn't been a sweet goodnight kiss before they headed back to their dorm rooms.Gabriella buried her face in her pillow and mumbled through it into the phone. "GOD! Why do I have to make such an IDIOT of myself? I just…seeing him here…I flipped…I couldn't help it…I told him how I felt…and all he cared about was…." She stopped, biting her lip to stop it quivering. **

**"All he cared about was being right" A tear rolled down her cheek as she added softly. "Why does he have to be here Taylor?"**

**"He has to be there because you guys are meant to be together" Taylor spoke without any hesitation, "And seeing as my brilliant self can't be there to keep you sane, you've been given the next best thing"**

**"You mean to tell me that Troy is the next best thing to you?" Gabriella smiled slightly.**

**"No silly, I meant Chad!" laughed Taylor**

**"Chad?" Gabriella cracked another grin, thank god she had Taylor on her side**

**"Okay, so maybe Einstein is next best to me, then Chad" Gabriella could hear the smile in Taylor's voice, "Seriously though, the fact that I can't be there means that Troy is, someone's got to help you retain your innocence"**

**Gabriella sighed. "You don't get it though Taylor…I was…I mean…I AM so mad at him…I'd forced myself to get over him…or at least…I'd convinced myself that I had...and then he was there…and everything just washed away…I forgot the fight…I forgot all my anger…and I couldn't take it! How can he do that to me? How can a smile from him just make everything seem all right! I hate it! I hate not being in control! I want to hate him! I DO hate him!"**

**Taylor frowned, "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, I really am. But that's not hatred, heck it doesn't even count as strong dislike. The fact he can do something as simple as smile and make everything seem alright just goes to prove what I've been trying to tell you all along. You love him. And be mad at me for saying it, but that's not something that you can just dismiss"**

**Gabriella sat up on her bed, jabbing at a pile of books on the floor with her big toe hesitantly. "If only it were that easy…god…I was ready to forget that Troy Bolton ever existed…and now I have to see him everyday?" She sighed then her eyes widened. "Wait…Taylor…did you know? Did you know he was here?"**

**Taylor stuttered for a moment, "N-noo…"**

**"Taylor McHessey, don't you lie to me or I'll never help you with your homework ever again" Threatened Gabriella.**

**Taylor cringed, 'Well…I may have had a slight awareness as to the fact that Troy would be at The University of New York. But my source was highly unreliable and is a known liar" She gushed, not stopping for breath and closing her eyes once she finished speaking. This would be bad. Very bad.**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes angrily. "Great…Chad's involved" She said sarcastically, raising her voice.**

**"So what? You, Troy and Chad all knew and conspired to make me look like an idiot?" **

**"I can safely say that Troy didn't know you were here…and I don't think he knew that I knew that he was here…if you get my meaning"**

**"So why didn't you tell me!" Exclaimed Gabriella, frustrated.**

**Taylor rolled her eyes. "And just what would you have done Gabriella? If I'd told you this a month ago? What would you have done?"Gabriella was lost for words.**

**"I….you…Taylor you should've told me!"**

**"You haven't answered my question" Said Taylor softly. **

**"Fine" Gabriella snapped, deciding honest would be the best policy; "I would have gone to some other college. I wouldn't have come here and I wouldn't be in this mess with Troy. We'd have gone our separate ways and that would be it. Closure!"**

**Taylor sighed. "See...I know I should've told you but I know you well enough to know you would have done something stupid…I guess I thought I was helping you…"**

**"Well you thought wrong" Mumbled Gabriella, wiping furiously at a tear rolling down her cheek."What happened today Gabi? C'mon…It can't be all that bad"**

**"Well if you call feeling like having your heart ripped from your chest 'not all that bad' then no, I suppose it was a walk in the park." Gabriella pouted**

**"Oh..." Taylor's face fell, she'd thought that maybe Gabriella was just over reacting but now it was clear, the girl was more than just upset, she was hurting. "What'd he do?"**

**A smile, small but sad, crossed Gabriella's lips, "How do you know it was him and not me?"**

**"Well you are the one feeling like you're hearts being torn out, not the one doing the tearing. Therefore, by logical deduction, he must have done…well whatever it is that's been done"**

**Gabriella sighed. "I…we bumped into each other…literally…and umm…it was…so natural…we talked and…everything seemed like it was going to be ok…but then…he…I don't know…maybe I'm overreacting…but he said he was right all along…I was stupid for apparently starting our fight in the first place because HE knew we'd get into the same school and I just got SO mad Taylor…I…It was like he was blaming ME for everything…and I just flipped!" She stopped, taking a deep breath.**

**Taylor waited for Gabriella to continue, but she didn't. "You're entitled to flip, he was wrong to be so patronizing, and it serves him right"**

**"Taylor!" cried Gabriella, "I don't think you're getting it. We were so close to having everything be okay and I just…I lost it."**

**"And?" Gabriella was right, Taylor didn't see what she was trying to get at.**

**"And now I might have blown it…for good" Gabriella's voice dropped to barely above a whisper, her sadness becoming more and more evident.Taylor smiled slightly then said with a soothing voice. **

**"Gabi…you haven't blown anything, he was an ass…and lets be honest…he's lucky you didn't kick his butt" **

**"Me? Kick his butt?" Gabriella let out a quiet laugh, "That's about as likely as me becoming captain of the NYU basketball team"**

**Taylor groaned, "Oh lord, you're really fixed on him aren't you?"Gabriella groaned, frustrated. "YES! NO...I don't know! I'm just so confused Taylor...maybe this is just old feelings that have come back just from seeing him you know? GODDAM HORMONES!"**

**Taylor shook her head, even though Gabriella couldn't see her. "Don't go blaming it on hormones. They have nothing to do with it. These aren't old feelings, they're feelings that never went away. Just admit it Gabi, you never stopped feeling the way you do, you just tried to convince yourself you did."**

**Gabriella ran a hand through her dark curls. "Taylor…maybe I never stopped having feelings for Troy…but he sure as hell did! He HAD me and all he cared about was being right!"**

**"I love you Gabi, you know that. But wake up girl! While you were moping about all summer I was sacrificing my dignity each day by talking to Chad who was talking to Troy. And I'm telling you, he never stopped. But he's a guy, his ego gets in the way of his feelings."**

**Gabriella sighed, saying doubtfully. "I don't know Taylor…I…I just need to think…"**

**"Gabriella I know you…when you think…you over-analyse…and when you over-analyse…well…I don't want you to make a decision you'll regret…"**

**"I won't regret whatever decision I make. I've had enough regret in the last few hours to last me the rest of my life" Sighed Gabriella**

**"Well…"Taylor thought for a moment, "Just promise me that whatever you do you'll tell me what you're planning BEFORE you actually do it rather than after yeah?"**

**"Why, so you and Chad can plot behind my back again?"**

**"No, so I can plot and get Chad to carry out my dirty work…behind your back again" Said Taylor with a little laugh. **

**"Taylor!" Exclaimed Gabriella heatedly. "That's not even funny"**

**"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Seriously though, please, PLEASE give careful consideration to any choices you make. I don't want to see you so upset, but if you let his attitude get to you then you'll have no one to blame but yourself. No offence. I know how happy you two make each other, and that's not worth losing just cause o some silly, egotistical comment he made."**

**Gabriella wiped the last of her tears away from her eyes, mumbling lamely. "Umm…I think I'm gonna go get some rest…ill call you tomorrow ok?"**

**"Don't you dare hang up on m…" Taylor started, but was answered only by the dial tone. Gabriella shut her eyes tightly, hoping for an answer, but all she got were little red dots jumping in front of her eyeballs. That can't be good…she thought, and hastily opened them again. **

**----------------------**

**Troy groaned and slammed his hand down on his alarm clock, no way was he getting out of bed today. He was going to avoid Gabriella at all costs, and the chances of running into her again after the previous day's events were a good motivator to keep him there. See the way he figured it, pining for Gabriella from afar was definitely the way to go. Face to face, his mouth had messed things up before his brain could stop it, so he figured that if he never had to look into her amazing chocolate eyes again, their relationship would slowly heal on its own. Just as he was drifting off again, Chad's irritating voice filled his head.**

**"Ugh" muttered Troy, thinking he must have fallen back into sleep, "I'm dreaming of Chad!"**

**"No dude, you're not dreaming, I was trying to tell you to get your sorry ass out of bed or you're gonna be late to your first class."**

**"I'm not going!" retorted Troy, rolling over and closing his eyes again.**

**"Not going? What've you gone totally insane? You can't miss your first ever college class!" Wailed Chad**

**"Chad…you spend far too much time with Taylor. Since when do YOU care about missing class?" Troy shot back.**

**"I don't…my lecture started a half hour ago, but YOU, my pathetic friend, have a lecture to go to, a relationship to save, and some lunch to pick up for your best friend…I could go for a Big Mac"**

**Troy mumbled something into his pillow that sounded somewhat like. "Get your own big Mac you mother ducker" **

**Chad grinned. "Come on, I made breakfast…well…Captain Crunch made breakfast, I just pulled the box out of the cupboard, but still"**

**Troy didn't respond.**

**"Don't make throw a bucket of water over you" threatened Chad, knowing that Troy knew that he would, if it came to that, which Chad was secretly hoping it would.**

**Again there was no response.**

**"Don't make me call your mother"**

**This time troy shot up like he's been nipped on the butt by a rather unfriendly bed bug. He glared at Chad, "You wouldn't dare."**

**Chad grinned smugly, "Well she did say if you gave me any trouble all I had to do was call. And if you ask me, you not going to class constitutes trouble" Chad shrugged nonchalantly.**

**Troy groaned, running a hand through his messy bed hair groggily. "God! Can a guy not wallow in self pity for the rest of his life without being left alone!"**

**Chad grinned. "Nope, but he can get his lazy butt in the shower if that's any consolation"**

**Troy looked at Chad hopefully. "Can I kill myself instead?"Chad thought for a second then glanced at his watch. "Maybe after lunch…we're on a tight schedule" **

**"Fine, fine" Troy glared at him ungratefully, "I'm up already."**

**'Good" Chad nodded his approval, "Now don't forget to put on clean underwear, and I'll meet you in the kitchen in 7 minutes to walk you to school."**

**"Like you need to call my mom" muttered Troy, "you've got it all under control on your own"**

**"I heard that" Called out Chad in a sing song voice, walking out into the lounge. **

**Troy rolled his eyes, grabbing a clean pair of jeans and a shirt, walking towards the bathroom. It's ok, he thought to himself. He could leave his room and still never see Gabriella again. It was simple really, he figured, how hard could walking around NYU with his eyes shut be? **

**----------------------**

**Troy glanced at his watch for the 10th time in 2 minutes, he really didn't want to be late. What kind of impression would that give his professor about his attitude? Not that he cared so much about the actual academic side of things but to get in the bad book on the first day? Not his idea of fun.He turned a corner, his pace almost at a run and accidentally knocked a book off the pile a girl walking past was carrying. Embarrassed he leant down and picked it up, replacing it at the top of the pile sheepishly. **

**"Sorry" he mumbled.The girl flicked back her short blonde hair and smiled. **

**"No problem…I haven't seen you around here before"**

**"I uhh..." Troy faltered, "This is my first day of classes, I've only been here a week and I still can't seem to find my way around" He chuckled.**

**"Aw don't worry, it gets easier with time. But if you're still having trouble I can show you around. I mean those maps get kind of confusing I know" The girl smiled and Troy returned it gratefully. **

**"Umm…thanks…I'm Troy Bolton" He put out his hand and she took it, smiling."Shannan, Shannan Robertson…listen…what are you doing after class? Maybe we could go get a coffee or something?" She trailed off, looking at him expectantly. **

**"Oh…uhh…Shannan, see…the thing is I have a girlfriend." Troy frowned**

**"Ahh, of course you do. How could someone like you not." Shannan sighed.**

**"Well not actually a girlfriend…I mean she's real, but…"Troy struggled to explain.**

**"Starting college is hard on relationships, don't worry." She smiled understandingly**

**"Well yeah…but I mean that's not to say I can't go out for coffee. It just I don't want you to get the wrong idea and, see I made an ass of myself yesterday. I didn't realize she was going to school here as well and when I saw her things just spiralled downwards and I made and ass of myself, cause I said to her-" **

**Shannan held up a hand, signalling for him to be quiet as she began to back away, a scared look overshadowing her pretty face.**

**"It's alright, I get it"But Troy was getting carried away now. **

**"I mean I HAD her back, but NO, I didn't think, I just said the first thing that came to my head, URGH I always do this! She's the best thing that ever happened to me and I just screw it up you know.." **

**He didn't notice, but as he talked Shannan was slowly inching away, giving him an odd look as if he was a circus freak. He paused and took a breath. **

**"So anyways, that's why I can't go out with you"Not bothering with an answer, she gave him one last freaked out look and scurried off down the hall. Troy blinked, puzzled. **

**"Was it something I said?"he wondered aloud. **

** Gabriella's eyes traced over the many faces crowding the hall outside the lecture theatre. She carefully stepped around a few people before making her way inside. Her stomach was doing back flips, the feeling so familiar from the number of times it had happened during high school. Calm down, she told herself, this is no different to starting a new school. Sure it can effect what you can do for the rest of your life, and sure you might have to see Him every day, but you'll be okay. She sighed heavily and took a seat in the back row, hoping that way she'd avoid being noticed by either the teacher or the students.She flipped open a notebook, absent-mindedly starting to draw random stars and spirals in the corner, her fringe falling into her eyes. She put the pen down for a second and shrugged off her coat, folding it and placing it under her seat. She groaned to herself. She wasn't dressed right. Her hair wasn't right. She was never going to be like the other kids here. She'd never fit in and have to live a life of exile. She forced herself to stop thinking, she looked up to see the Professor entering the room, he looked about mid fifties, balding, wearing a white lab coat. The chatter died off as people filed into their seats and the professor waited for silence before he began, **

**"Good morning and welcome to the first chemistry class of the year. Before we begin I would like to set down my ground rules. First of all, no cell phones. I am here to teach you are here to learn, the last thing I want is distraction in my space of enlightenment." **

**Gabriella groaned, this professor was turning out to be like Miss Darbus from East High. She got the feeling that if ever they were to meet they'd be life long friends. Or maybe it was her brother. Gabriella made a mental note to find out. The professor cleared his throat. **

**"Secondly, I will not tolerate tardiness, If you want to be late, do it in your own time...not mine, follow these rules, and we'll get along fine, break them, I'll ensure that you're kicked out of my class before you can so much as say 'Sorry sir I slept in', do you understand?"**

**As the professor started droning about the topic for the day Gabriella gulped, shrinking down in her seat a little, starting to jot down detailed notes, and at that moment Troy decided to walk through the door.**

**He was just in time to catch the end of the professor's tardiness speech and he knew there was no point explaining his lack of motivation to get out of bed. Instead he settled for attempting to find a seat as quickly as possible, avoiding eye contact with the professor the entire time.He scanned the crowd, the only empty seats were right up the front, directly in front of the professor's desk, which he quickly ruled out, next to a large, sweaty girl who appeared to be trying to wink at him, or next to…Oh no. **

**Panicked, he glanced between Gabriella and the large girl, quickly weighing up the pro's and cons of each seat. Well it'd be better to be ignored than frisked. So Gabriella it was. Besides at least this way he could try to make amends for all the stupid things he'd said to her yesterday. If she didn't kill him first…He gulped and glanced back at the other girl, who waved at him. With an involuntary shudder, he hurried towards Gabriella, crouching down slightly to avoid being seen by the professor. Gabriella noticed the person moving toward her before it registered who it was. Troy! Oh great, here she was excited by the prospect of her first college class and she had to share it with him!She raised her nose and turned her head away in disgust as he sat down heavily. Just ignore him, and everything will be ok, she told herself, breathe Gabi, just breathe. **

**"Psst…Gabi" She groaned softly and rolled her eyes. URGH, couldn't he see she was trying to ignore him! How insensitive. **

**"Psst…Gabi…" Came the annoying hiss yet again. Gabriella wrinkled her nose and turned to him with a what-do-you-want sneer, hissing through clenched teeth, **

**"First of all Bolton, only my friends can call me Gabi…Secondly if you're after stimulating conversation, I'm not interested … Although I'm sure she could cater to your needs" **

**She paused and gestured towards the girl who'd been waving and winking at Troy on his way in.Troy glanced back at the girl and shuddered again. **

**"That's cute Gabi…real cute, you're a real firecracker…but I uhh…can I borrow your notes?"Gabriella shook her head firmly. **

**"Maybe if you'd gotten to class on time, you would've had your own notes, and my brain wouldn't have to deal with the torture of a conversation with you" **

**"Well if it wasn't for Chad I wouldn't be in class today thus not needing notes, thus making neither of us suffer!" retorted Troy**

**Gabriella snorted in response. "What part of no don't you understand?" **

**Troy shrugged, playing dumb. "Well to be honest…I get hung up on the N…and then the O just kinda sneaks up on me" **

**Gabriella rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest, pointedly ignoring Troy and focusing all her attention on the lecture. **

**Troy scowled, glaring at her notebook for a few moments. He glanced up, to ensure Gabriella wasn't paying attention before tentatively reaching towards it. The echo of her slap filled the whole room.****Professor Minol's head snapped towards her, a suspicious glare plastered on his face. **

**Gabriella smiled innocently back at him, sneaking a glance at Troy who was sulkily nursing his wounded, reddened hand, before smiling smugly and turning back to her notebook. ****  
**

**A few moments later, Gabriella drew sharp breath in as she felt Troy's fingers, presumably the uninjured ones, entwine with hers, his breath feeling his ear. ****  
**

**"The least you can do after that is kiss it better, Princess"****  
****Much to her unease, Gabriella's heart began to race at the feeling of his warm hand in hers, crimson slowly creeping into her cheeks.Casting all feelings aside, she withdrew roughly, glaring coldly at him. **

**"Id rather use the statue of liberty as a diving board" **

**Troy shrugged, nonchalant. "Well…it is perfect weather for swimming" he flashed a suggestive smile at her. **

**Gabriella ran a hand through her curls, frustrated. "What do you want Troy?" She sighed. **

**He thought for a second. "Hmm…Just your notes really, and a side order of human decency, unless you're fresh out" **

**Gabriella opened her mouth angrily but was cut off before the words even left her mouth. **

**"MR BOLTON! Is it you or I that is instructing this class?" **

**"Weeell…I'm glad you ask Professor…you see..."**

**"That's enough Mr Bolton, outside. NOW" **

**Gabriella turned to him, smiling smugly. **

**"You too Miss Montez" **

**Gabriella's jaw dropped open as Troy snickered under his breath. "Shall we princess?" He asked quietly, offering her his hand. **

**Gabriella slapped it away again, standing up and exclaiming loudly "ME! It was him!" **

**Troy stood up and scoffed. "Me? You're the distraction Sweetie" **

**Professor Minol slammed the textbook he was holding down against his desk. "It would seem that some members of this class are mistaken… although this IS a chemistry class this is NOT a lecture on unresolved sexual tension" **

**Gabriella and Troy both opened their mouths to protest, but Professor Minol slammed the book once again. **

**"Mr Bolton, Miss Montez, Don't make me repeat myself, until you can begin to take my class seriously, I don't want to see either of your faces in my lecture thank you." **

**Gabriella gathered her books mortified, rushing out of the classroom, unable to comprehend what had just happened, followed by a coolly strolling Troy.**

**"Wait up Gabriella" he called out, jogging to catch up with her as she pushed through the swinging doors into the sunshine. **

**She turned angrily on him. "What the fuck is your problem Troy? You may not value your education, but I do mine!" **

**"Hey…If I didn't value my education would I have wasted my time trying to get your notes?" **

**Gabriella thought for a second, a small smile creeping onto her face. "Touché Bolton" **

**He grinned back stupidly. "You know it" **

**They held one another's gaze for a few moments before looking away awkwardly. **

**Troy was the first to speak, he shoved his hand deep into his pockets and stared down at his shoes, telling himself to get over his pride he said softly, **

**"Look…about yesterday…I'm sorry for what I said yeah?"**

**"Ok" Gabriella said simply, folding her arms across her chest and turning away.Troy narrowed his eyes, confused. **

**"Ok? What do you mean ok? Ok as in you forgive me and maybe things can work out between us or…"**

**"Ok as in…ok" She interrupted abruptly. "Ok as in…I accept that you're apologising to me, but…I don't know anymore" She sighed heavily. **

**"Don't know?" Troy frowned, "Don't know what? What's there not to know? I'm standing here telling you I'm sorry and that I never meant to hurt you. What more do you need to know?"**

**"I DON'T KNOW!" She exclaimed, burying her face in her hands, frustrated. "Everything's just so complicated Troy and I…look can we not do this right now? God this college thing is hard enough…"**

**"That's all the more reason for us to do this now" Troy's face fell, "If we do this now we can stop wasting time and support each other through this whole thing. Not being together is just making it so much worse!" Troy knew he was probably pushing her away but he couldn't stop himself.**

**"Don't you think I know that! But it's not as simple as that Troy!"**

**"Yes it is! Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want this…If you can look me in the eye and tell me you don't want to be with me then I'll walk away right now, I'll leave you alone"**

**Gabriella swallowed, glancing up into his eyes for a second before dropping her gaze again, unable to cope with his penetrating stare. **

**Satisfied with this, Troy added with a whisper. **

**"Gabriella…I need you"**

**"Oh yeah?" Gabriella knew she was being cold but it was easier than feeling all the things she was, "Well maybe you should have realized that before you decided to throw my worry in my face and make me feel like a fool."**

**Troy groaned in frustration. "God Gabriella! I've apologised! I regret saying the thing's I've said every second of everyday, what more can I do? Tell me and I'll do it!" **

**"Nothing Troy" whispered Gabriella, "There's nothing more you can do except just back off and let me get myself sorted out before we try and sort out us okay? I'm sorry"**

**Troy was about to protest but saw the look on her face. "I…Gabriella…" he stopped and swallowed, reaching out and stroking her cheek gently. "I don't care how long it takes Gabi, I'm going to prove to you how sorry I am, and how much I need you in my life"**

**Gabriella smiled slightly at his soft touch and said softly. "Well you could start with not getting me kicked out of lectures""**

**But then we miss these moments together" pouted Troy**

**Gabriella couldn't help but laugh slightly, "Well that's something I'm willing to sacrifice if it means getting my education"**

**Troy laughed, then looked down guiltily. "Err…now I know it's meant to be me bowing down to your almightiness and kissing your butt and begging for forgiveness…but ummm…I kinda need just ONE teeny tiny favour"**

**Gabriella raised an eyebrow. **

**"Uhh…can I borrow your notes?"**

**Gabriella snorted back a laugh, "No"**

**"Aww come on, I'll buy you lunch" pleaded Troy.**

**"What part of no don't you understand?" queried Gabriella.**

**"Do I need to explain it to you again" Troy grinned.**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes. "No it's ok, you don't need to explain your stupidity to me, I've experienced it first hand for years"**

**Troy pouted. "Hey!"**

**Gabriella didn't' apologize but she did shove her notebook into his hands, **

**"I want those back first thing tomorrow or I'll…I'll…I don't know what I'll do but it won't be pleasant" **

**She turned and slowly began to walk away.Troy looked down at the notebook then up at her retreating back. **

**"Thanks princess!" He called out, a grin playing at the corner of his lips, finally allowing himself to think that everything might be ok after all. **

**A/n: What did everyone think! We figured we owed it to the characters to give them a fairly happy chapter ending for once, lol PLEASE REVIEW!**


	4. Pancakes and Photographs

**Disclaimer: We don't own High School Musical. Although my birthday is coming up and I know my mums planning a surprise…so maybe I'll get lucky.**

**Authors note: Wow. Just WOW. WE can't even begin to describe how much we love all your reviews! They mean the world to us, you guys are awesome! **

**This chapter is…a nice break from the angst, but be warned, its Troy and Gabriella, so that means the peace can't last for long, but enjoy it while it lasts! We hope youlike the chapter! Please R and R!**

**XXOO**

**Emma and Chloe**

**Chapter 4: Pancakes and Photographs**

**Gabriella was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling and attempting to think of something to do to improve the dullness of the room when the message tone of her phone interrupted her thoughts, causing her to jump with shock. She sighed and rolled over, grabbing it from the floor beside her bed, glaring instantly when she saw the message was from Troy. **

**Her finger hovered over the 'delete' button for a few seconds before her face softened and she hit the 'read' button. **

**'This is a ransom note: If you ever want to see your notes alive again, meet me at the diner on Dyson St at 12…please?'**

**Gabriella let out a soft laugh and hit the reply button, writing back.**

**'What kind of ransom note includes manners?'**

**She impatiently flipped her phone open and closed a few times before grinning as it started vibrating in her hand again, she flipped it open and hit read again.**

**'The kind where the sexy uhh…note thief is trying to win back his beautiful ex girlfriend'**

**Gabriella hesitated for a moment then sent her reply, **

**'Well you must have the wrong number, because firstly I'm not beautiful and secondly my ex is most definitely not sexy.' **

**As she hit send she couldn't help but notice she was smiling, no matter how often she told herself she didn't, she really did miss being with Troy.**

**The reply took a little longer this time.**

**'Not beautiful huh? Long brown curls? Amazing deep brown eyes? Killer smile? You're right, you're not beautiful. You're INCREDIBLY beautiful. I the humble note thief apologise profusely for the mistake, it won't happen again'**

**Gabriella began to type 'stop it' but changed her mind, not wanting to destroy the small progress they seemed to have made through just a few flirty text messages. Instead she replied with **

**'Oh really? Well if you keep that up maybe I will comply with the ransom'**

**The reply was almost instant.**

**'You're sexy. You're amazing. Great kisser. Great boobs.'**

**Gabriella went bright red, trying to stop a small smile form creeping to the corner of her lips.**

**She paused, wondering if this was the best way to go about repairing their broken relationship but before she could argue it out logically she was replying yet again.**

**'My good looks are courtesy of my mom, as for the kissing…well I once knew a guy who had a trick or two up his sleeve'**

**She smiled slightly to herself, tapping her foot on the floor impatiently.**

**'A guy huh? Tell me about him, was he by chance…basketball captain?'**

**"Strange that you should mention it, he was actually…great singer too'**

**This time the reply was fast.**

**'That's how you met him isn't it. You had to sing and he thought you were so stunning he just had to get your number'**

**Gabriella was unable to contain a wide smile as she lay back on her pillow and replied, laughing slightly.**

**'You seem to know an awful lot about this…are you stalking to me? Do I need to get my locks changed?'**

**'Changing your locks won't help. I'll just climb up the balcony again' came the reply, and before she had another chance to reply there was another message which read, **

**'Meet me…please'**

**Gabriella bit her lip then sighed, txting back quickly before she could change her mind. **

**'I'll be there, with pepper spray in case the note thief gets a little too friendly'**

**Gabriella dropped her phone aside and sprang from her bed over to her closet, tearing it open. She peered into it. **

**"What do I wear?" She shook her head at herself, **

**"Not that I actually care what he thinks, but I am going out in public so I don't think my pyjamas would be appropriate"**

**She looked down and wandered aloud. "Although…these are REALLY cute pyjamas…he always said he liked me in pink…"**

**She groaned. She knew she was acting like an idiot. SHE was the one who said she needed to sort things out, SHE was the one who passed up the chance of getting back together yesterday…yet here she was, rifling through her closet like a woman possessed. **

**But these thoughts weren't going to stop her. She pushed him away too many times already, and if it took a great outfit to lure him back…well she was willing to accept that. So carefully she pulled each item from the closet, looked it over critically, graded it, then tossed it onto the bed behind her.**

**She knew she was confused, she knew that she needed to clear her head. But technically, who was to say she couldn't clear her head in a stunning outfit.**

**Just as Gabriella was straightening out her outfit her phone buzzed again, it was Troy. **

**'Having trouble finding the pepper spray are we?'**

**Gabriella smiled, grabbing her purse and heading out the door before replying. 'Yeah, I must have left it in my other purse; I guess I'll just have to trust you to be on your best behaviour'**

**'Hey! I'm always on my best behaviour. At least for you :p I don't want to have Taylor trying to beat my ass, I've had one to many close calls with that woman!'**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes with a playful smile as she walked out of the College grounds, glancing left and right before crossing the road quickly. Once she was safely on the other side she began her reply.**

**'Good, keep in mind that she's only a phone call away if a certain note thief's hands get a little too…grabby'**

**'Well I shall tell my hands not to grab, but rather to be polite and gentle. Will that suffice?'**

**Gabriella felt herself blushing slightly as she replied, 'that all depends just what they're being gentle with doesn't it'**

**Her heart began to race as she waited for a reply nervously, walking briskly down the road and turning onto Dyson St. Her phone buzzed. **

**'Don't tempt me princess…I'm meant to be on my best behaviour aren't I?'**

**Gabriella was half way through her latest reply when she suddenly bumped into someone. She began apologizing profusely as she looked up and stopped when she saw Troy's grinning face.**

**"Making it a bit of a habit aren't we princess?"**

**Gabriella scowled. "It's not MY fault you're clumsy"**

**Troy's grin widened as he shook his head. "No no no, it's not MY fault that you're too busy flirting with the uhh…note thief to look where you're going" **

**"Well I happen to like the note thief thank you, not that it's any of your business" **

**Gabriella tried desperately to keep the glare on her face, but she couldn't help but return Troy's smile, it was always infectious when you saw him grin like that.**

**"Oh good, well see he note thief is a good friend of mine, so I hope you guys work out, he's a great guy"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes and poked him in the side. "Idiot, come on, lets get this lunch thing over with, I have a lecture at 2, and I yearn to be back in the presence of SANE people thank you very much"**

**"You consider people who study physics for fun sane?" Troy raised an eyebrow questioningly.**

**"Saner than people who run about after a ball for fun. Yes." Gabriella noted with a grin.**

**"Well then, I guess it's a good thing I don't play football then eh?"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes again. "Same difference"**

**With that she pushed past him gently and walked into the diner, turning around quickly to poke her tongue out at him, before finding a booth near the back. **

**Troy rolled his eyes and followed her in, sliding in opposite her. "So I suppose you want the note book huh?"**

**"Not if you've been stroking it lovingly, nor if you slept with it under your pillow" she bit back.**

**Troy sighed, "It was all going well until you mentioned having it under my pillow while I sleep. I guess now I've just got to keep it" he shrugged.**

**Gabriella hid a smile and pretended to shudder. "Urgh…well I guess I'll just have to risk catching your icky diseases…in the name of my education"**

**"Don't lie Gabi, education has nothing to do with it, you love my diseases, you wish that your diseases were half as cool as my diseases, you've been after my diseases for years!" Troy nudged her foot with his, grinning. **

**"Your diseases only got as cool as they are by mixing and mingling with my diseases and you know it, so stop trying to take all the credit Bolton."**

**Before Troy could reply, a waitress walked up and handed them a menu. Gabriella took it, saying a quick thankyou before poking her tongue out at Troy again.**

**He threw up his hands in mock defeat. "Ok, ok you win princess, your diseases are lovely"**

**Gabriella grinned, satisfied. She began to scan the menu as the waitress returned. "What'll it be?"**

**Gabriella was about to reply when Troy cut in.**

**"Two serves of chocolate chip pancakes, an orange juice and a chocolate milkshake please"**

**The waitress jotted it down and walked away and Troy turned to face Gabriella with a smug grin. "Your favourite"**

**"Actually I found out over the summer that I'm allergic to chocolate" replied Gabriella, throwing in a fake frown and dramatic sigh just for effect, **

**"I get terrible headaches if I eat I and then get quite ill."**

**Troy's face suddenly fell. **

**"I…wow…boy do I feel insensitive right now. I'll be right back. I'll go change our orders to…strawberry pancakes or something."**

**Gabriella let out a quiet laugh as he was rising from his seat, "I'm only joking. I love chocolate as much as ever, and I'm glad you remembered."**

**Troy sat back down slowly, pouting. "That was mean"**

**Gabriella laughed. "But oh so amusing" She paused, giving him her best puppy face. "Can you ever forgive me?"**

**"You really think that looking like a small, fluffy canine is going to help you win this?" Try looked sceptical.**

**Gabriella just nodded.**

**He frowned, mockingly perplexed, "It seems your right" he laughed softly.**

**Gabriella smiled, satisfied, leaning back against the booth as the waitress brought over their meals. They both thanked her and as she was walking away Troy reached into his backpack, pulled out Gabriella's notebook and held them out to her across the table.**

**"Your notes, unharmed, as promised"**

**Gabriella reached out to take her notes, but pulled back her hand at the last minute. **

**"How do I know you haven't glued…anthrax to the pages?" She eyed him with mock suspicion.**

**Troy let out a laugh, "Because that would be stupid of me considering that I'm holding it for you, I mean if I glued anthrax to the pages then surely I'd suffer for it too"**

**Gabriella couldn't argue with this, so she grabbed the notebook and inspected it thoroughly, hiding a smile. **

**"Ha!" She exclaimed triumphantly through a mouthful of pancakes. "Here, in this corner of the cover, a peanut butter smudge, unharmed my butt!" **

**Troy held up his hands defensively, **

**"Okay so perhaps I should have said unharmed by ME. That peanut butter would be entirely Chad's fault. I swear it"**

**Gabriella narrowed her eyes, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile.**

**"The same Chad who's been allergic to peanuts all his life?"**

**Troy gulped. Busted. **

**"Uhh…yeah…him" he offered lamely. **

**"So you mean to tell me he ate peanut butter despite the fact he's reminded us multiple times over the year that if he even so much as smelt peanuts he'd swell up like a puffer fish and possibly die?" She raised an eyebrow questioningly.**

**Again Troy nodded, "The one and only, he said something about doing it for the adrenaline rush.**

**Gabriella let out a quiet laugh, "See the scary thing about that is I wouldn't put it past him"**

**Troy grinned and took a drink from his milkshake. Gabi tucked a curl behind her ear.**

**"So Chad goes to Columbia now right? That's pretty awesome for you guys, I mean, the fact that Dumb and Dumber didn't get separated" She shot him a big goofy smile to show she was kidding and continued. **

**"So what's happening? Where are you guys living?"**

**Troy nodded and grinned stupidly, "We're living just a couple of blocks from campus, we got a flat together, it's not big but its home, for now anyway. It's awesome. I can't image what I would have done if he'd gone to the other side of the country." **

**Suddenly he frowned, realizing that that was what had happened to Gabriella, her best friend WAS on the other side of the country. **

**"I'm sorry princess, I said that without thinking"**

**Gabriella looked down uncomfortably and tried to shrug nonchalantly. **

**"It's ok, I mean…we still talk everyday…"**

**"You miss her huh?" He said quietly, studying her face.**

**Gabriella sighed, looking up and meeting his eyes. "Every day…I mean, she's always been there, and now she's…not, it'll take a while to get used to it"**

**Troy nodded, unsure what to say, "Well…I know it's not the same, but you're always welcome to come hang with me and Chad. I know it wouldn't be the same as the four of us hanging out, but it might help make it seem a little less lonely."**

**Gabriella couldn't help but smile, things were starting to get back to normal, "Thanks…I might take you up on that sometime"**

**Troy grinned to himself, unable to believe how incredibly well this was going. **

**"How about you Gabi? Are you staying on Campus or what?"**

**Gabriella swallowed her mouthful of pancake and nodded. "Yup, I've got my own dorm…which is nice enough, I'm still pretty much living out of boxes though, pathetic, I know"**

**Troy shook his head, "If you'd seen our place, you'd realize that's not at all pathetic. We still haven't progressed to learning to use the washing machine, my clothes get taken to the Laundromat religiously each week, Chad's just slowly pile up in his room till I realize what's causing the horrible smell and tell him that if he doesn't wash them then he'll get no dinner."**

**Gabriella laughed, then looked down, biting her lip. "I miss this…" She said softly, and then quickly added. "And by this of course I mean paying out Chad"**

**Troy smiled and nodded in mock agreement. "Of course that's what you meant"**

**Gabriella blushed slightly and took a big gulp of orange juice. **

**"So…" Troy suddenly felt awkward, not sure what to say so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "How's Taylor doing anyway? I haven't talked to her in a while."**

**Gabriella shrugged, "You know. It's Taylor, she practically fitted in right away. She's already joined the science club, the debate team; she's writing for the student paper, she's even tutoring some freshman student." Gabriella stopped herself, realizing she was babbling, "I think you get the idea"**

**Troy laughed. "Same old Taylor all right…How about you? Is college everything you expected it to be?"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Well lets see, no one's said a word to me so far, one of the Professors hates me already, I live alone in a dorm room in a city where the only people I know are my ex boyfriend who I spent three months trying to get over and his whacky best friend who I know for a fact still sleeps with a night light…so uhh, no, it's a little different" She bit her lip, not having meant to say all that, but with Troy, things just…blurted out before she could stop them, and she hated it. **

**Troy nodded, "I know what you mean, like sure the fact I have Chad is a step up on your situation, but the one person who talked to me got scared off when I told her that I couldn't go out with her cause I was trying to win you back." **

**Troy stopped, his mouth dropped open and his cheeks began to turn red, "And I can't believe that I just told you that"**

**Gabriella blushed into her glass of juice, taking another big drink. "And I can't believe you did that" She said softly, poking her fork around her pancakes awkwardly.**

**"I mean…Ok, sure it would be hell awkward and weird at first…but that would be my problem, not yours…so if you want to date…I mean…you don't need my permission…" She dared to glance up at him, carefully monitoring his reaction. **

**Troy shook his head, "No way…I mean the only dating I want to do is…" he felt himself becoming redder and started to poke his pancakes around his plate, his voice softer, "I'd only want to date you"**

**Gabriella couldn't help but grin slightly, trying to hide her happiness, "Well…umm…that's sweet of you."**

**A silence came over them, neither knew what to say next.**

**"Ummm…great pancakes" Gabriella offered pathetically.**

**Troy managed a small laugh then ventured nervously,**

**"And you Gabi? If some intelligent NYU bookworm with glasses and orthopaedic shoes sweeps you off your feet…would you uhh…I mean, I'd probably throw myself off the Empire State building…but that'd be my problem not yours" he shot her a weak grin"**

**Gabriella pretended to think. "Glasses and orthopaedic shoes you say?" She stopped and smiled sadly. "Troy, you know how I feel about you, I want you so badly that it hurts…" She paused, sighing. "But there are a lot of issues that we need to work through before we can start again, otherwise we'll just end up hurt again…"**

**Troy felt his heart sink, but tried to cover it with words, "I know…and you have to believe me when I tell you that I'll do whatever it takes to make thing okay again. You just…tell me where to start and I'll do it."**

**Gabriella tentatively reached out and squeezed his hand across the table.**

**"I know…I believe you…"**

**Troy smiled, taking her hand in his and stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. The held each others gaze for a few moments before Gabriella withdrew her hand slowly.**

**"So…what do I do?" Troy looked at her hopefully.**

**Gabriella frowned, knowing he wouldn't like what she was going to say, "Time" she sighed, "You just need to give me time"**

**Troy considered for a second then asked sheepishly. "Does buying you a watch count?"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes at him, smiling. "Idiot"**

**"I guess that's a no…"**

**"You'd be guessing right Bolton" Laughed Gabriella**

**"Oh really, Montez?"**

**They both laughed softly.**

**God I'm an idiot, thought Gabriella. KISS HIM. KISS HIM YOU STUPID GIRL KISS HIM.**

**Gabriella coughed, shaking her head quickly to clear her thoughts. **

**"I think it'll be good for us" She said, trying to convince herself as much as him. "Doing the friends thing I mean"**

**Troy nodded, not entirely convinced, but not wanting to push Gabriella any further away then she already was, **

**"Yeah. I mean better to build our friendship back up before we try to be anything more."**

**Gabriella smiled, relieved that he seemed to be having the same thoughts as she was, she refused to believe he was thinking otherwise, it was too painful to bear.**

**"Good…because…ok, friends…we can totally do friends" She nodded.**

**Troy forced a smile. "Totally….so uhh…friend…the waitress is coming back to clear our plates, want anything else? Another juice?"**

**Gabriella shook her head softly, causing her fringe to fall into her eyes, she flicked it back in annoyance.**

**"Urgh, I hate my fringe!"**

**Troy grinned. "I've always loved how you go all cute and mad when it gets in your eyes"**

**Gabriella glared at him. "I don't go all cute and mad, do you want me to hit you!"**

**Troy beamed. "See! There you go again! All cute!" **

**"Stop it" pouted Gabriella**

**"Okay, okay I'm sorry. But can I help it if I think you're adorable?"**

**Gabriella simply responded by rolling her eyes. **

**"Urgh, what's the time? I've got to be in my Phsych class at two"**

**Troy glanced at his watch and gulped. "Errr…did you say two?"**

**"Yeah I said two" Gabriella eyed him suspiciously**

**"So…now wouldn't be the time to tell you it's a quarter to two would it?" Troy cringed a little.**

**"No, no it wouldn't" replied Gabriella, hoping against hope he was kidding.**

"**Well… in that case, it's a quarter to one" Troy nodded, satisfied he'd lied well.**

**Gabrielle continued to look at him suspiciously, as she pulled her cell out of her purse. She flipped it open to see the time.**

**"FUCK" She exclaimed. "How can we have been talking for two hours! Fuck fuck fuck"**

**"Time flies when you're having fun?" he offered weakly, only to be met by glare from Gabriella. **

**"This is SO not amusing Troy…I thought I'd be home in plenty of time, the books I need for the class are at my dorm, and then the class is at completely the opposite side of campus!" **

**Troy could tell she was freaking out. **

**"It's okay. If we run we'll make it and if it comes down to the last few minutes then…" he paused trying to think, "Then I'll nab Chad's bike and you can ride to class!"**

**He thought it was a valid idea but the look that crossed Gabriella's face indicated that she felt otherwise.**

**"Or…not"**

**He pulled his wallet out and left the bill plus a tip on the table, grabbing Gabi's hand and hurrying from the restaurant. **

**The pair tore down the pavement side by side in the direction of the school. "I'm never going to make it" Said Gabriella, out of breath.**

**"Sure you will" Puffed Troy, "And if you're late then I'll write a personal letter of apology to your professor asking for him to forgive you as it was all my fault" he grinned at her.**

**She couldn't help but grin back. "Yeah and then we'll both end up being kicked out and having to go back to Albuquerque to live with our parents and work at McDonalds for two dollars an hour"**

**Troy kept a totally straight face as he said, "Actually I hear they're offering two dollars and 3 cents and they'll throw in a free Ronald mask"**

**"Wow! If the deal's that good then why are we still running!" Laughed Gabriella, grabbing his hand to pull him faster. **

**"Because I won't let you blame me when you're 50 and still only a staff member at MacDonald's when you could have been some world famous astrologer or something" replied Troy, completely seriously.**

**They stopped, breathless, at a set of traffic lights and Gabriella grinned at him, breathing heavily.**

**"Yeah, that'd be it, I'll still be working at MacDonald's at 50, and you'll be at home on our porch on a rocking chair looking after our 14 cats"**

**"14 cats? Are you insane? They'll try to eat the 73 chickens that I'm going to keep in the back yard."**

**"Don't worry, we'll have our 17 children build the chickens a coop to protect them from the cats, and then eventually I can retire, hang up my MacDonald's hat once and for all and we can spend the rest of our golden days in rocking chairs on the porch, shaking our walking sticks at the youth of the day" She grinned as they got the walk signal from the traffic light, pulling him hurriedly across the road. **

**Troy had begun to picture the scene that Gabriella was describing, so when she suddenly pulled at his hand it almost tore him from his feet, sending him sprawling across the road, trying desperately to regain his footing as Gabriella tried desperately not to fall over laughing at how ridiculous he looked.**

**She clapped and announced loudly. "My future husband the klutz everyone!" She couldn't help but burst out laughing. **

**"And my future wife, MacDonald's oldest employee" responded Troy with a snort.**

**They grinned at each other for a moment, then Gabriella glanced down at her phone. "2:04" She read aloud with a groan. "I'm royally screwed"**

**"Really? Who's the lucky prince?" Troy groaned, he knew it wasn't the time for jokes, but when one lives with Chad it becomes a survival mechanism.**

**Gabriella grinned evilly. "I don't know, is Prince William available tonight? If not I'll settle for Harry"**

**"Will?" Troy made a disgusted face. "That guy looks like a demented horse!"**

**"Yeah...but I've never really had high standards when it comes to guys have I?" She said with a grin, poking her tongue out at him.**

**"No I don't suppose you have really. I mean Chad doesn't exactly rank high up on the scale of humanity" He shrugged, trying to hide a grin.**

**"At least he ranks higher than YOU" She said smugly. **

**"I-" Troy began to protest, but had had no reply so simply settled for "ouch"**

**Gabriella shrugged with a smile. "The truth hurts doesn't it? Now come on!" She took off down the street again. **

**Troy just glared at her as he ran along side her, trying to think of a witty comeback, but he kept getting distracted by his closeness to her. When all his brain could think of was 'shut up' he decided it was best to let it go and concentrate fully on the way her hair bounced against her back as she ran…and the way she kept glancing at him with those cute little smiles...and the way he almost just ran into an old lady because he wasn't looking ahead of him.**

**He apologised profusely, going bright red, much to the amusement of Gabriella. **

**Troy grabbed Gabriella's hand tightly and began to run faster when the old lady began to shake her handbag at him, as if she were about to start pounding him with it.**

**"I think she liked you" Teased Gabriella breathlessly as they ran through the gates onto the campus. "You could've had her"**

**As they approached the dorms Troy let out a laugh, "She was a little active for my liking, I'd rather date someone who wasn't such a threat to my position on the team"**

**Gabriella looked confused, "But…well…aren't you not on the basketball team here at NYU?" She was beginning to slow down.**

**Troy nodded, "Exactly, can you imagine if I compromised the position that I don't currently have? The world would make less sense than it currently does, and I don't know if I could handle that!"**

**"Huh…" Gabriella nodded blankly, a little confused. She pulled her keys out of her pocket and ran up to a door on the right, unlocking it quickly and running in, leaving the door open for Troy. **

**Cautiously he made his way up the steps, into the building, his curiosity urging him forward, and his respect for Gabriella attempting to draw him back outside. Needless to say his curiosity won out and he followed her in.**

**He smiled, instantly recognising the posters and photos that decorated the walls, the same ones that had hung in her bedroom in Albuquerque. "You haven't put the pictures of me back up though" He noted aloud. **

**"I couldn't. It was easier not having to look at you everyday." Gabriella looked up from gathering her notes, her words were simple and honest.**

**Troy swallowed. "Well…maybe one day I'll earn my place next to that picture of you and your mum when you were in first grade and to the right of Chad Michael Murray…actually maybe I could be placed further away from Chad Michael Murray next time…it'd probably be better for my ego"**

**Gabriella smiled slightly. "Uhhh…considering I ripped up all your photos and flushed them down my toilet…Taylor's version of aversion therapy…that'd be pretty hard, but I guess I could have my mom call like…a plumber…or maybe the water board…there might be some chance of getting them back" **

**Troy let out a quiet laugh, "Or we could just make sure we all get together again sometime and ensure that we take a camera with us, that way we get new pictures and avoid any unnecessary exposure to plumbers…if you get my meaning" He gave a crude grin.**

**Gabriella wrinkled her nose. "Eww…and now an unwanted image of plumbers bum crack will forever be imprinted in my brain"**

**Troy laughed, "You can thank me later" **

**Gabriella rolled her eyes, glancing at the bottom drawer in her cabinet. Hesitating, she opened it and pulled a photo frame from the bottom. Without looking at it, she handed it to him.**

**"I haven't looked at it since that day…I wanted to throw it out but I couldn't"**

**Troy looked down at the photo and his eyes widened. Gabriella's cheeks were flushed pink and she was laughing, he was kissing her cheek, arms wrapped around her waist.**

**"I have this same picture...funny thing is its stuck to the door of my fridge and I've looked at it everyday since then, and thought about how much I miss you. And no matter how many times Chad takes it off I keep on putting it back up." He felt himself beginning to blush, **

**"I can't help but smile every time that I see it, I don't think I could have handled coming here if it wasn't for knowing you were with me, even you were only present in a photograph." He held the photo out for her to take, and when she did instead of putting it back in the drawer she places it in the centre of her desk.**

**"I…" She stopped and sighed. "I'm really late for my lecture" **

**She glanced at the photo again, then back at Troy awkwardly. She turned away and quickly picked up the pile of books at her feet and shoved them into her bag. **

**"I supposed, we better make a run for it…again" He cracked a grin.**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I think I've run more today than I have in my entire life"**

**She ushered him out and locked the door behind them, suddenly turning to him with a grin.**

**"RACE YA!"**

**Troy let out a groan, "And yet she can run some more" He took off after her, taking only a minute to catch her up.**

**They stopped, laughing outside the doors to the classroom. **

**"Well here goes, I'm over half an hour late to my first Phsych class…I'll be surprised if I make it out alive" Gabriella said with a nervous smile. **

**"Well y'know' Troy paused, shoving his hands into his pockets, his stance indicating that he was becoming unsure of himself, "You could go in there and face possible death…or you could just blow it off and spend the afternoon with me"**

**Gabriella raised an eyebrow. "Oh so first you get me kicked out of a lecture and now you want me to blow off class for you?"**

**Troy swallowed guiltily. "Uhh…forget it…bad idea…"**

**Gabriella laughed, cutting him off. "That's the best idea I've heard all day"**

**Troy couldn't help himself, there was a grin spreading across his lips and he was unable to stop it, "Does that mean…are you saying you're up for it?"**

**Gabriella nodded. "God until I came here I'd never skipped a day of school in my life, you're a bad influence on me Bolton"**

**"Me? A bad influence?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly, "You can't blame me, I never caused you to skip class at East High, I think you're just getting lazy in your old age, and if getting lazy means spending time with me then" He shrugged, "so be it, that's a burden I am more than willing to bare"**

**Gabriella smiled. "I'm touched you're willing to make that sacrifice, now c'mon, lets go ruin my future before I start having second thoughts" She paused and leaned over, whispering in his ear, "Race ya"**

**Before she could take off Troy reached out and took her hand in his, "If you're going to blow off class, let's enjoy it. No more racing"**

**Gabriella's heart skipped a beat. "What did you have in mind?"**

**A/n: HOW WAS IT! PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT! WE loved writing it, we can't get enough of T/G, and this was a really fun chapter to write! PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Jealousy and Chad in a Lion Suit

**Disclaimer: We don't own High School Musical.**

**A/n: Hi guys! Thanks so much for all your reviews! You guys are all so sweet and your kind words make us enjoy writing this even more than we already do!**

**We know it's been a little while since we've posted but Chloe (my co-author/best friend) is in the middle of moving house, so she doesn't have the internet connected anymore, or even a home phone line, so to get this chapter finished, we've both racked up HUGE cell phone bills calling each other to write over the phone. So we REALLY hope you guys enjoy it!**

**Hmmm, there's not really much else to tell you…OH! Just to clear it up, this chapter is set about a week after the last one!**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter and don't forget to click the little review button and share your thoughts with us!**

**Love, Emma**

**Chapter 5: Jealousy and Chad in a Lion suit. **

**"Chad" Troy entered the living room, taking a seat at the opposite end of the couch, "We umm…we need to talk" He sighed.**

**Chad gasped and looked at Troy with widening eyes, "You're breaking up with me?"**

**"Uhhh…no" Troy pulled a face**

**"Well then whatever it is I didn't do it, no one saw me do it and you can't prove I did it!" Satisfied that they had discussed whatever it was that Troy felt needed discussing, Chad turned his attention back to the television.**

**"Chad dude, Ren and Stimpy will still be on in two minutes"**

**Chad lifted a hand, silencing Troy. "Ren and Stimpy wait for no one my friend, that's what makes them great" **

**Troy knew that he wasn't going to get through to Chad until the show was over so he sat in silence until the credits began to roll.**

**"Now" Chad turned to him with a smile, "What was it you wanted to talk about? Ren and Stimpy will now listen."**

**"I'm glad I have their attention" Replied Troy dryly.**

**Chad snorted. "At least you're HERE for them to pay attention TO, I've barely seen you for the past week man" **

**Troy looked suddenly guilty, he hadn't even explained to Chad where he'd been spending most of his time.**

**"Look, I don't want to seem pushy but I hardly see you any more, you barely speak and…well okay you still eat heaps. But what's going on man? I thought we were best friends, doesn't that mean we can talk to each other about ANYTHING?" **

**Wow, thought Troy, Chad's genuinely worried about me; he couldn't help but laugh softly.**

**Chad's brain chose to interpret the laugh as a strangled cry of anguish. **

**"Dude talk to me…If you need a shoulder to cry on…I'm here…just uhh…don't tell anyone…I don't want them getting funny ideas"**

**Troy looked down guiltily "Chad, I'm really sorry I haven't been around, it's umm…complicated"**

**"There's nothing too complicated that I can't help resolve" Said Chad proudly, taking a gulp from the juice glass in front of him.**

**Troy blinked, wrinkling his nose. "Err…in the S.A.T's you didn't know what an even number was…"**

**Chad shrugged. "Even numbers? Who needs geography when you're going to be a pro basket ball player?"**

**Geography? Troy shook his head, holding back laughter, deciding to spare Chad's dignity by not correcting him. **

**"So what is it, what's so complicated?" Chad asked**

**"Well…do you want the long version or the short one?"**

**"Short" Chad responded without a pause.**

**"Ok" Troy took a deep breath, "Gabi and I are…well…seeing each other, so to speak."**

**Chad's eyes widened. "YOU'RE BACK TOGETHER? Since when?...How?"**

**Troy shook his head. "Not exactly…we…I mean, she…wants to take things slow…so we're…friends" **

**"But friends with benefits right?" Chad looked hopeful**

**Troy shook his head.**

**"Close friends?" Chad was looking desperate, "More than just acquaintances right?"**

**Troy sighed. "Getting there…I mean, it was never going to be easy…I'm just grateful that she's even talking to me"**

**"Does she know how you feel?" Chad asked, raising an eyebrow.**

**"Yeah…and she says she feels the same, but she's scared…I don't know"**

**Chad groaned "Do either of you know anything? Taylor and I have been telling you both for the past 3 months that you feel the same about one another so how much longer is it gonna take?"**

**Troy ran a hand through his hair with a groan. "I wish I knew, but what am I meant to do? She's not ready, all I can do is be her friend and thank god she gave me another chance at all" **

**"I guess you're right just…don't let this turn sour yeah? You guys have too good a thing to just let it go" Chad offered, no sarcasm, no crude jokes, just straight, friendly advice.**

**Troy nodded. "Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't been around"**

**Chad shook his head dismissively. "Dude, now that I know there was a hot girl at stake, consider yourself forgiven, at least you haven't forgotten my first basketball game right?"**

**Troy's eyes widened, "It would be when exactly?"**

**"Tonight at 6" Chad knew he'd forgotten.**

**"Oh tonight, that's okay then. If it was tomorrow we'd have problems" He smiled unconvincingly.**

**Chad rolled his eyes. "I know I'm only a reserve, but you promised dude"**

**Troy laughed. "Don't worry dude, I wouldn't miss your first game if you were only the towel boy"**

**"Thanks…I think…Wait are you saying I play badly enough to only be included as a towel boy?" Chad frowned with confusion, causing Troy to laugh**

**"No dude, I'm saying that I know how important this is to you, so I'll be there"**

**Chad grinned gratefully then coughed, standing up. "Dude, I'm gonna spare us both the awkward friend hug which I know we both want to avoid, I've got to go to practice but I'll see you later ok?"**

**Troy laughed. "All right, have a good practice, or they might actually demote you to towel boy"**

**Chad rolled his eyes. **

**"Say hi to Gabi for me" He called out with a snicker, grabbing his gym bag and walking out the front door, slamming it behind him. **

**The moment the door closed Troy snatched up his cell to call Gabriella. After a few moments there was a cheery answer.**

**"Hey Gab…look, about tonight" Troy really didn't want to be doing this but he'd made a promise to Chad and now it was time to hold it up.**

**"I was going to ask you about that actually…last night you forgot to mention you were taking me go-carting and I wore heels, NOT a fun experience for me or my feet, so I'd like a little warning of the destination this time"**

**Troy swallowed. "Err…"**

**Gabriella frowned, "What is it?"**

**"It's not that I don't want to see you, but I kind of promised Chad that I'd go to his game tonight, you know seeing as it's the first one and all. And I know he's just a reserve, but it's important to him. I'm sorry" explained Troy.**

**"Oh…" Gabriella tried not to sound disappointed. "Well that's really sweet of you, it's ok, we'll just do something tomorrow after class or something, it's not important, wish Chad luck for me ok?" **

**She hung up so quickly that Troy didn't even get the chance to reply. With a deep sigh, he flipped his cell shut.**

**"Sure Gabi, I will" He said to himself, sitting back on the couch dejectedly. **

**Troy put the cap back on the marker and admired his sign. It wasn't too big, and it wasn't too decorative, heck, it was done on an inside out Captain Crunch box, but the message was clear.**

**CHAD, GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME (EVEN IF YOU ARE JUST A RESERVE)**

**His admiration of his handiwork was interrupted by the tone of his cell phone.**

**Without bothering to check the caller id, he flipped it open and held it to his ear, grumbling. "I'm fine mum…I'm eating right…college is good…and my sleeping patterns are normal"**

**On the other end of the phone line Gabriella raised an eyebrow. "Err…that's great Troy, I'll uhh…pass on the message to your mum next time I see her"**

**Troy mentally slapped himself. "Oh…err…Gabi…fancy…seeing you…on my phone…what's up?"**

**Gabriella smiled nervously. "Well…when we hung up I started looking through my closet, and I happened to come across these shoes that would be perfect for a basketball game…and it would be such a shame to waste them…so uhh…I was wondering if you wanted some company?"**

**A grin spread slowly across Troy's lips. "Company would be great" he paused. **

**"But wait, don't you hate basketball? Remember the last time I tried to get you to watch a game?"**

**Gabi laughed softly. "It's not so much that I hate it…it's that I don't understand it"**

**Troy laughed. "So I'll be stuck explaining to you for the hundredth time that there are two different jersey colours because there are two different teams for an hour and a half when I'm meant to be watching Chad?" **

**Gabriella frowned a little. "Well…I do have a lot of homework to catch up on anyway, it was a stupid idea" **

**"No no no no no no" Troy said quickly. "I want you there, and from what Chad said to me before, he wants you there too, it'll be good for his ego to have a hot girl in the crowd cheering for him"**

**Gabriella sighed with relief. "Oh good…because err…call me a stalker, but I'm kinda already at your front door" **

**Troy laughed, hanging up the phone. He walked over and opened the door to be greeted with a bright smile from Gabi.**

**He raised an eyebrow with a slight smile. "How'd you know I'd want you here?"**

**Gabriella grinned and shrugged. "I didn't, but I figured I hadn't knocked yet, so if you'd blown me off I could've just walked home and you'd be none the wiser" **

**Troy laughed. "And uhh…what if at the exact moment I said no, I opened the front door to uhh…." He thought for a second. "Feed the birds?"**

**"Simple" Replied Gabriella smugly. "I would've pretended I was a girl scout selling cookies…either that or err…a bird, whichever would've been more believable"**

**Troy considered for a second. "Err…probably the bird"**

** Gabriella pouted with mock offence "I can be pure and sweet and…well whatever a girl scout is supposed to be!"**

**Troy let out a soft laugh, "Yeah and I could be the worlds best ballet dancer; I just choose not to be"**

**Gabriella snorted. "Thank god, the idea of you in tights is horrifying"**

**"Oh yeah? Well the idea of you in a Girl Scouts uniform is" **

**Troy stopped himself, a slow grin spreading across his face, "Actually kinda hot"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes and whacked him on the arm. "So when are we going?"**

**Troy glanced at his watch. "You were just in time actually, I've just got to grab my 'team Chad' sign, and then we can go"**

**Gabriella pulled a face. "You made a sign for Chad?" She laughed, reaching out and pinching his cheeks. "You are way too cute for your own good" **

**Troy felt himself blushing slightly and went to get the sign, hoping Gabriella wouldn't notice. They stepped outside and began to walk to the bus stop.**

**"So…" Troy felt suddenly awkward, not sure if it was okay to take her hand or if he should just keep his distance, not wanting to ruin the progress they had made, **

**"Have you bumped into your phsych professor yet?"**

**Gabriella frowned. "Yeah actually, I had a class this morning, he was really harsh towards me all morning, and then he pulled me aside afterwards and gave me the old 'no ones forcing you to be here…it's your future' speech" **

**Troy frowned, "I'm sorry…I probably shouldn't have discouraged you from going to class. I promise that next time I'll set an alarm or something so you won't be late"**

**Gabriella smiled reassuringly as they approached the bus stop and sat down on the seat to wait. "It wasn't your fault Troy"**

**She glanced at the sign in his hand and laughed. "Getcha head in the game? Now where on earth have I hard that before?" She asked with a smile. **

**"You've heard it before?" Troy looked at her with mock distress, "And here I was thinking I was being oh so original!"**

**They didn't have to wait long before a bus pulled up. Much to Gabriella's protest, Troy, being ever the gentleman, wouldn't let her pay her own fare. The second he sat down next to her she turned to him and exclaimed.**

**"I HAVE eighty cents you know, I'm perfectly capable of buying my own bus ticket"**

**Troy laughed. "Well excuse me for being gentlemanly" **

**"No I won't" Gabriella laughed softly, "I can pay my own way, I'm perfectly capable and I just want to make sure you know it"**

**"I'll make a mental note for next time" Troy grinned back and continued softly**

**"I know you don't need any one to look after you…but…I like to"**

**Gabriella couldn't help but smile, it was the little things like that for which she loved Troy, "Well I suppose that it's alright if you know that it's not necessary."**

**Troy nodded with a grin. "Of course I do princess, just pretend that you need me to do things for you every once in a while ok? Just for my egos sake" **

**"And what about my ego?" Gabriella pouted, "That won't do a great deal of good for it…heck it could make me turn into one of those airhead's who can't do a thing without a boy by her side"**

**Troy pictured this and laughed. "I can see the positive's in that…I'd have to help you shower" **

**Gabriella rolled her eyes, "I don't think it'd get THAT bad"**

**Troy held up his hands, "A guy can dream can't he?"**

**"Not a guy who is talking about his FRIEND in that way" Gabriella pointed out, with a small smile. **

**Troy's face fell. She was right. They were still only friends, "I guess you're right" he noted, getting up as it was now their stop.**

**Gabriella sighed and followed him out of the bus, smiling her thankyou to the driver. **

**"Is it strange that I'm looking forward to seeing Chad?" Said Gabriella, walking beside him and pulling a face. **

**Troy laughed, "Yeah, I mean this is Chad we're talking about, most people try and avoid seeing him"**

**Gabriella smiled. "I know, I know…I just, haven't seen him since school finished, and the idea of seeing him tonight is good…it's like everything's slowly getting back to normal…well as normal as we can get when Chad's involved and Taylor's on the other side of the country"**

**"We should get Taylor over here sometime, you know get all of us to hang out like we used to…that is if you want" Troy glanced at Gabriella, unsure how she'd react.**

**Slowly a smile began to spread over her face.**

**"I'd love it" She paused and laughed. "It'll be just like old times, except we'll make out less, and Chad and Taylor will gag and throw pillows at us less" **

**Troy couldn't help but grin, "Well you know, we can always make out, just to make it feel like it's the same as always"**

**Gabriella laughed and pretended to think it over then said with a smile. "Hmmm, anything to freak out Chad and Taylor I guess" **

**"Awesome! I look forward to it then" he laughed softly, "So you ready to spend an hour and a half looking at Chad sitting on the bench?"**

**Gabriella laughed and nodded saying sarcastically. "I feel like my entire life has been leading up to this moment…Chad…the bench…it's all coming together"**

**Troy looked worried, "You scare me sometimes Gabriella Montez, especially when you mention a life long lead up and Chad in the same sentence"**

**Gabriella mock sighed. "You've caught me Troy, I was only ever with you to get to Chad"**

**Troy stopped in his tracks, his eyes open wide in horror, causing Gabriella to burst out laughing. **

**"Bolton…you're an idiot"**

**He glared playfully at her, "You're a cruel and unusual woman Princess"**

**Gabriella shrugged saying simply, "But you love me anyway"**

**He glanced at her and said sincerely. "More than you could ever imagine"**

**Gabriella looked down. It was moments like this where she really couldn't understand herself. All she wanted to do was take him in her arms and kiss him…but something in the back of her mind just, held her back. Realising her silence had gone on too long she cleared her throat. **

**"So umm…I think that's it up there" She pointed to a large group of people hanging around the entrance to a building. **

**Troy looked over to the direction indicated by Gabriella and frowned, **

**"If it weren't for that big sign above the door saying 'Theatre A' then I'd agree" he smiled softly, "Chad told me to head round the back of the theatre and then we should be able to see the gym. So shall we?"**

**He offered his hand to her. Gabriella hesitantly placed her hand in his, smiling softly, pleased that they could still be comfortable in each other's presence.**

**"So…" Gabriella started hesitantly. "How do you feel about Chad having the basketball scholarship? I mean…knowing it could've been you if you'd decided to go for it? Any regrets?"**

**Troy thought for a moment before speaking, "I think it's fantastic. I mean sure I'd have liked to get one as well but" he shrugged, "I love basketball don't get me wrong, but there's so many other things that I want to explore. Plus by not focusing on it I have more time to spend with you"**

**Gabriella blushed and smiled softly. "You're going to do great things Troy, I…as cheesy as it sounds I believe in you" **

**Troy smiled, "I feel kinda like Peter Pan right now"**

**Gabriella laughed. "I thought we'd been through this…NO ONE WANTS TO SEE YOU IN TIGHTS" **

**"Aww c'mon Gabriella, you know you do. Late at night, when you're all alone, what do you think about? ME IN TIGHTS!" He laughed softly**

**"Yeah…it's called nightmares Bolton, NIGHTMARES about you in tights" She said with a playful smile, as they approached the entrance of the gym. **

**Troy frowned, "So you're telling me that if I decided my life calling was ballet then you'd disown me and never speak to me again?"**

**Gabriella laughed. "Yup, its tights or me Troy, you have a tough decision to make" **

**"Why do I have to decide?" He whined mockingly, "You still talk to Chad and he does a lot of weird stuff, why should I be treated any different?"**

**Gabriella pretended to think it over. "Hmmm….you're right…ok, I give in, at your first Ballet performance I'll be front row centre…with garbage and rotten tomatoes to throw at you" She poked her tongue out and laughed, running ahead to the huge doors of the gym. **

**Troy laughed and followed her inside, slipping an arm around her waist, and leading her up to a spare set of seats near the top. He glanced around; trying to spot Chad before realising the players weren't actually on the court yet. **

**He turned to Gabriella smiling reassuringly. "Don't be afraid to ask me any questions, after three long years, I'm making it my mission tonight, to get you to finally understand basketball" **

**Gabriella snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that, I still don't get what the point of shotting balls into baskets is"**

**"Yeah? Well I don't get what the point of being able to do a hell long equation in 30 seconds flat is" He shot back.**

**"Hey!" Gabriella exclaimed. "My record is 27 seconds I'll have you know"**

**Troy laughed. "My apologies princess…I don't get what the point of being able to do a hell long equation in 27 seconds flat is" **

**Gabriella was about to reply, when she was interrupted by a loud voice over the sound system.**

**"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN PLEASE WELCOME THE COLUMBIA SENIOR BASKETBALL TEAM…THE COLUMBIA HURRICANES!" Followed a moment later by,**

**"AND NOW PLEASE WELCOME THE COLUMBIA JUNIOR TEAM…THE COLUMBIA LIONS!" (A/n: we are very aware that these aren't even remotely close to the actual names of the Columbia basketball teams, however, we figured there might be some copyright issues if we used the actual ones, so we settled on these. Other names we considered include Columbia Humpback Whales, and Columbia Gerbils)**

**"That's Chad's team!" Exclaimed Troy and he and Gabriella stood up and cheered loudly, trying to spot Chad.**

**As the teams took their positions on the court, Gabriella turned to Troy, confused.**

**"I thought you said he was on the bench, he's not even here tonight"**

**Troy glanced over to the bench again. "That's what he told me, where is he?"**

**As she was scanning the players on the court, the raised voice of the Lions coach floated up to her.**

**"CHAD! THE MASCOT OF THE TEAM IS SUPPOSED TO RALLY SUPPORT FOR THE TEAM, NOT COME ON TO THE OPPOSITIONS CHEERLEADERS"**

**Chad popped off his Lions mask cheerfully and tucked it underneath his arm. "Sorry coach! Won't happen again!"**

**Gabriella's eyes widened and she grabbed Troy's arm, pointing towards the unmasked lion. **

**"Uhh…Troy, why does the mascot have an afro that is creepily like Chad's?"**

**Troy raised an eyebrow and glanced to where she was pointing. His eyes widened in surprise. "Because…it is Chad!"**

**They glanced at each other and burst out laughing as Chad popped his mask back on and started dancing around the gym floor madly.**

** Just as Chad was getting really into his dance, the whistle blew for the start of the game, and he took his Lions head off once more to watch, sitting down on the bench.**

**Troy let out another chuckle. "Oh he is so never living this down"**

**Gabriella virtually ignored him, leaning forward in her seat, squinting down at the game.**

**Troy raised an eyebrow, bemused. "What's up princess?"**

**"Well" Gabriella began, the confusion clear in her voice. "The scoreboard says Home and Away…but both teams are well…home teams"**

**Troy let out a small laugh. "When a senior team plays a junior team at a school, they make the senior team the home team, just because they've been there longer you know, they've earned their home spot"**

**Gabriella's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Well that's just stupid, what if a senior transferred here halfway through the year…and the juniors have been here longer than that senior, would that make the juniors the home team?**

**Troy blinked. "Well…I've never thought of it quite that way before…but uhh…diplomatically speaking…no, just no"**

**Gabriella sighed and looked back out at the game. "But that's just not fair" She paused and pointed at the person holding the ball. "See that guy, in the stripy shirt from the juniors team…he's been slaving away ALL year for the juniors team and he's repaid by the college by being put as the AWAY side…whereas THAT guy" She paused and pointed to a player on the opposite side of the court. "That guy could've transferred here as a senior just yesterday, and yet he's already on the home team?...Its injustice I tell you"**

**Troy didn't know wether to pat her on the head kindly or tear out his own hair in frustration. He took a deep calming breath.**

**"Ok Gabi…first of all…that guy in the stripy shirt…isn't on either team…he's uhh….the referee…and second of all college has only been in for a week, so even if the juniors have been slaving away all year…it's uhh…like I said…only been a week"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Well then why isn't the referee of the junior team treated the same as the referee of the senior team?"**

**Troy's eyes bulged in confusion, his attention completely drawn away from the game now.**

**"What! Gabriella…there's only one referee…"**

**Gabriella shook her head wisely. "No silly, there's two, YOU were one remember? And the other team had one, and the referees always lead the team out, and you both jump for possession of the ball before the game starts"**

**Troy spluttered shaking with silent laughter. "What! Gabriella, I was the CAPTAIN…the CAPTAIN, leads the team…the ONE referee…basically judges the game…"**

**Gabriella's mouth formed a silent "Oh", her face turning bright red.**

**"Oh, and before your confusion gets anymore advanced, the guys in the green, they're Chad's team…the guys in the blue…they're the opposition"**

**"I knew that" She mumbled, folding her arms across her chest sulkily.**

**Troy held back a small smile, raising an eyebrow. "So uhh…just out of curiosity, all those times you came to my games in high school…what exactly did you do?"**

**Gabriella glanced at him and smiled sheepishly. "I was too busy trying to make sure the cheerleaders weren't staring at you too much…to actually you know…watch the games"**

**Troy grinned and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, giving her a squeeze. "Awww princess that's so cute…wait, the cheerleaders were staring at me?"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Not by the time I was through with them"**

**Troy laughed, not moving his arm from around her shoulders, about to reply, when a loud thud came from the court, causing them both to jump, followed by a yelp of pain. One of the juniors, a tall blonde boy was lying on the gym floor, grasping his knee, surrounded by his team and the coach.**

**The referee called a time out and the juniors coach helped the blonde boy hobble back to the bench, followed by the rest of the team. **

**Amidst all the chaos, Troy distinctively heard the coach yell. "Ok Danforth you're on"**

**A few minutes later, the junior team, now including Chad made their way back to the court. Gabriella turned to Troy and whispered. **

**"We want Chad to be on the court right?"**

**Troy nodded, wondering what she was getting at. "Right" he agreed, bemusedly.**

**"So now would be an appropriate time to start clapping Mr Basketball expert?" She asked with a smirk.**

**He laughed. "Follow my lead princess" he stood up and started cheering. Gabriella grinned standing up next to him and yelling through cupped hands. "TAKE IT OFF CHAD"**

**Chad stopped in his footsteps, scanning the crowd then broke into a grin when he finally spotted Troy and Gabriella. **

**Gabriella waved shyly at him, and Chad grinned back, beginning to lift his shirt up in what he believed was a seductive manner.**

**Troy scowled at Chad and hurriedly covered Gabi's eyes with his hands. Gabi swatted away Troy's hand with a laugh, and grinned at Chad playfully.**

**Chad grinned back, about to pull his shirt up farther, when to Troy's relief, the coach came up behind him, slapped him lightly over the back of the head and pushed him onto the court.**

**As play resumed, Troy was interrupted yet again by one of Gabi's questions.**

**"Troy…what happens if one of the players needs to go pee?"**

**Troy turned away from the game, shaking his head in disbelief, a small smile on his lips. **

**"Uhh…the coach normally tells everyone to go pee…before the game starts"**

**Gabi nodded knowingly. "Ohhh, kinda like on a long car trip"**

**Troy raised an eyebrow, bemused. "Uhh…kinda"**

**"What if you don't THINK you need to go, and then the game starts and you do?"**

**Troy rolled his eyes. "Princess, are you just doing this to annoy me?"**

**Gabriella blinked innocently. "Me? Annoy you? Whatever do you mean?"**

**Troy laughed. "Well even if you are, it's not working, it just makes me think you're even cuter"**

**Gabriella smiled and rolled her eyes, saying sarcastically. "Oh darn, my evil plan has been foiled yet again"**

**"Sorry about that" he started with a grin. "Do you think you can handle the game on your own for a few minutes? All this talk of peeing has made me need to go"**

**Gabriella nodded with a small smile. "I think I can handle it…and besides, we can catch up on my questions when you get back…I'll write them down so I remember to ask you"**

**"Can't wait" Laughed Troy, standing up and making his way past the row of seats and down the stairs towards the bathrooms.**

**Gabriella settled back in her seat, smiling, focusing once more on the game, when she was interrupted by a tap on her shoulder.**

**She jumped in surprise, and snapped her head around to see the smiling face of a tall brown haired guy who looked a couple of years older than her. **

**"Don't worry about it, I'm as lost as you are" He said with a reassuring smile.**

**Gabriella laughed nervously. "It's good to know I'm not the only non basketball fanatic in the room" She was about to turn around again, when he replied.**

**"You're questions are kind of helping me out too, I mean, I've always been curious about the peeing habits of basketball players"**

**Gabriella blushed slightly, mumbling. "Glad I could help"**

**He glanced at Troy's empty seat beside her. "Well, your boyfriend seems to be doing a pretty good job of helping out"**

**Gabriella's blush deepened. "Oh he's not my…I mean…we're not" She paused awkwardly. "We're just friends"**

**The guy grinned. "So then he wouldn't mind if I were to say, ask you out for coffee sometime?"**

**Gabriella bit her lip. "Umm…I don't even know your name"**

**He laughed and held his hand out to her over the seat. "Jordan Clarke, I'm a senior here"**

**Gabi hesitated for a second before taking his hand. "Gabriella Montez, I'm a junior at your rival school, NYU"**

**Not letting go of her hand immediately, he shot her a hopeful grin.**

**"So how about that coffee?"**

**Gabriella opened her mouth to reply, blushing slightly when she was interrupted by someone clearing their throat loudly behind them.**

**She spun around quickly to meet Troy's quizzical gaze.**

**"I uhh…brought you some popcorn Gabi" He handed it to her, glancing uneasily at Jordan.**

**Gabriella took it from his hands awkwardly, as Troy moved past her and sat down in his seat.**

**He glanced at Gabriella then at Jordan, extending his hand out to the newcomer.**

**"Uhh...we haven't met, I'm Troy…and you are?"**

**Jordan grinned and shook his hand. "I'm Jordan, Gabriella and I were just bonding over our lack of basketball knowledge"**

**Troy shuddered. "Oh god, not another one"**

**Gabriella laughed. "See Troy, I told you I wasn't the only freak"**

**Jordan laughed. "Yeah, there are at least 12 others like us…it's like a little support group for non sports fans" **

**Troy raised an eyebrow. "So if you're not into basketball, what compels you to be here?"**

**"I'm on the staff of the Columbia college paper, and unfortunately I got stuck with this story" Jordan explained.**

**Troy laughed. "Fair enough, but uhh…if you're writing an article about it, shouldn't you actually be paying attention to the game?"**

**Jordan shrugged and flashed a big grin in Gabriella's direction. "I guess I got a little distracted"**

**Troy held back a scowl and turned his attention back to the game, though his head wasn't in it. Stupid Jordan, how dare he barge in out of nowhere and be distracted by Gabriella. Only he was allowed to be distracted by Gabriella damn it! Sure she looked incredible tonight but only he was allowed to think that, after all they had a history. History… That word nagged at the back of his mind. That was pretty much all that was left of their relationship, all she wanted at the moment was a friendship, and it scared him to think that someone like Jordan could just come in and try and take what he considered his rightful place.**

**Gabriella glanced at Troy then back up at Jordan quickly, before leaning over and asking quietly.**

**"Troy, you ok?"**

**Troy shrugged and said dismissively. "Chad's not playing as good as he normally does"**

**Gabriella leaned back in her seat and sighed, rolling her eyes. She wished Troy could get over his jealousy and realise that Jordan was no threat. But the fact that he wouldn't admit his feelings to her stopped her from reassuring him.**

**They spent the rest of the game in an awkward silence, each caught up in their own thoughts, only snapping out of it when the whistle blew, signalling the junior teams' victory.**

**Jordan leaned down and said over-enthusiastically. "Well…it was nice meeting you guys, hopefully I'll see you around at the next game"**

** As the people around them began to file out of the gym, Gabriella gave Jordan a little half wave before turning back to Troy.**

**"Seriously, are you ok?" She frowned with concern.**

**"Why wouldn't I be?" He retorted bitterly not looking at her. **

**Gabriella sighed deeply. "I wouldn't have said yes to him you know"**

**Troy shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant. "Either way, I don't care, it's not an issue"**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I'm not even going to try and talk to you when you're being like this"**

**"Being like what?" Troy shot back childishly.**

**"Like this!" Gabi threw up her hands in exasperation. "If you're too childish to be honest with me when something's bothering you, then I'm not even going to bother trying to talk to you!"**

**Troy looked away stubbornly.**

**Gabriella sighed and said quietly. "This doesn't have to be a big deal Troy"**

**Troy finally turned to her, a pained look in his eyes. "I know it doesn't have to be a big deal…but it feels like I could lose you all over again"**

**Gabriella's face softened, she reached out and gave his hand a little squeeze.**

**"You're not losing anything Troy…it was just a coffee invitation…that I turned down"**

**Troy forced a smile. "I know…it's just that…" He paused, sighing deeply. "Can we just drop it?"**

**He knew he couldn't blame Jordan for finding Gabi attractive. Who wouldn't? But he had worked so hard to get her to even talk to him again, that the idea of competition was just too much. **

**A/n: Pretty please review! Make us feel loved!**


	6. Jordan at Your Service

**Disclaimer: We don't own High School Musical.**

**Authors note:  **

**Ok first of all, we owe everyone about a million thank you's for the reviews! We couldn't believe the overwhelming response that we got for the last chapter and we are truly grateful to everyone who is reading this story!**

**Secondly, yes, we know its been forever since an update, but we're pretty busy at the moment, I'm full time at my job (as the best deli assistant in all the land), and Chloe's preparing for her finals exams (she's in 12th grade) so it's really hard to find time to write, but we are obsessed with writing this story, so somehow we found a way to get this chapter out! We really hope you like it, and please review the chapter, your reviews really do mean the world to us. **

**xxoo**

**Emma**

**Chapter 6: Jordan at Your Service**

"**Okay Chad, shut up about being the stupid mascot for a minute, I don't care about how many cheerleaders you think find you attractive in a lion suit, now do you have a progress report for me or not."**

**Chad pouted, he had been enjoying his moment in the spotlight, but once again the conversation was brought to a halt by Gabriella and Troy. He let out a disappointed sigh, "Fine, fine Gabi and Troy it is. They spent the majority of last week together. I was starting to think Troy had joined the mafia or had gotten a drug habit or something, he was practically never home and then they came to my game together"**

**Taylor knew she should find this kind of progress exciting but she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. "Chad…that's all fantastic but..."**

"**What?" Chad frowned, she didn't sound as happy as he'd expected**

"**Well…I just get the feeling that you're leaving out something important, with all these was's and your use of past tense"**

**Chad gulped "There's nothing to tell really…"**

"**Don't make me fly over there Chad!"**

**Chad sighed. Busted. "Okay…here's the thing, before the game, and during from what I could tell…everything was fine…but then that night, and for the last couple of days, Troy's been pretty down."**

**Taylor raised an eyebrow, "Down?"**

"**Well okay maybe down isn't quite the word."**

"**Chad Danforth, you tell me what's going on right now or I'll…I'll…I don't know what I'll do but it won't be good and it will result in you being in a whole lot of pain for a very, very long time." Threatened Taylor**

**Chad cringed; he didn't like the sound of that. And knowing Taylor it wasn't an empty threat, she may very well decide to follow it through. "Okay, okay. Troy's been spending more time at home lately than he did before the game, and he mentioned something about starting a rumor about Gabriella being a lesbian in order to, and this is a direct quote, 'ward off any possible suitors', though personally I don't see how that'll help, just means there'll be a whole lot more girls after her than there already is" he mused.**

**Taylor thought this over. "Yeah, and what guy doesn't love a hot lesbian?" She paused. "Troy's gotten stupider since high school…but then again…I don't blame him…he has to live with you."**

**This flew right over Chad's head, "Yeah he is pretty stupid"**

**Taylor snorted, "Okay, so…any idea what happened at the game?"**

**Chad shook his head, "I was too busy…you know, winning"**

**Taylor rolled her eyes, "Well Gabi isn't talking either, but I can tell something's bothering her."**

**-------------------------------------**

**Gabriella settled herself down in a quiet corner of the coffee shop, claiming one of the last available armchairs and pulling out her notes from that mornings lecture. After a few moments she let out a frustrated groan, try as she might, she kept being distracted by thoughts of Troy. With a sigh she reached into her purse and grabbed her cell phone, hesitating for a second before dialing Troy's number.**

**'Hey, this is Troy's cell, I can't get to the phone right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you"**

**She sighed and waited impatiently for the beep. "Umm…Troy it's Gabi, I haven't spoken to you in a couple of days…so, I just wanted to say hi, and that I miss you and that…if something's bothering you well then…I'm here if you want to talk…umm...call me back, please?" She sighed again, shoving her phone back into her bag. **

**She had tried over and over again since the basketball game to reassure herself that things weren't weird between them. Well, as 'not weird' as you could get for two people who used to date, were still in love, but were just friends anyway. She took a big sip of her coffee, figuring it might help her clear her head, but when all that resulted in was a burnt tongue, she figured it might be the universes way of telling her something wasn't right.**

**How could two people go from having so much, from feeling like the day was too short and that no amount of hours together was enough, to this…this not being able to so much as say hello with a genuine smile, and to doing their best to avoid each other in the hallways?**

**She hadn't done anything wrong, she knew that, but judging from the way Troy was acting, she may as well have been pregnant with Jordan's baby. And it wasn't as if Jordan was a bad guy, so why did Troy hate him? He hadn't even taken the time to be polite, he just acted as though she was his and no other guy had the right to so much as look at her. She sighed, she knew she couldn't stay mad at him, if only he'd come to her. If he had just said 'I'm jealous' after the game, they could've laughed it off and it wouldn't have become the issue that it did. But she knew that Troy had never been good at swallowing his pride. **

**The problem was that she also couldn't swallow her pride. If he wasn't going to come to her then why the hell should she be the one to offer the olive branch? She wasn't Greek damn it! No olives here my friend, she thought to herself, sipping her coffee bitterly.**

"**Is that seat taken?"**

**Gabriella glanced up and her eyes widened in surprise, and she sprayed coffee allover the table, causing Jordan to laugh.**

"**Can I take that as a no?"**

**Gabriella went red, and wiped at the coffee with a napkin hurriedly.**

"**Uhh, no…I mean…yes, yes, and its empty"**

**Jordan smiled slightly, "If you'd rather I didn't sit here that's okay. You're probably waiting for Troy anyway right?" He didn't say it in a way that made her feel uncomfortable, he just simply stated it in a way that said "hey, he likes you, I think you like him. I'm not here to get in anyone's way"**

**Gabriella quickly shook her head, flashing him a big embarrassed smile. "No, no please sit down, you just surprised me is all, hence the early morning coffee shower"**

**Jordan chuckled and sat down. "Don't worry about it; I say there's no better way to start your day than having coffee spit on you by an almost stranger in a café" **

**Gabriella wrinkled her nose with a small laugh. "And I'd say that's a bit weird…but ok" **

**"Hey you're the one that was at a Basketball game for no reason when you can't understand it" Jordan pointed out**

**"Hey, you were there too thank you" A smug looked crossed Gabriella's face; she thought she'd cornered him.**

**"No, I was there for the school paper, remember?" a soft chuckle escaped his lips**

**"Oh Drat, I have the memory of a…a..." Gabriella tried to think what kind of fish people related memory to but couldn't for the life of her remember.**

**"A goldfish?" supplied Jordan with a smile.**

**Gabriella glared at him and hid a smile. "I was just about to say that"**

**He smiled and glanced at her notes. "Looks complicated" he observed.**

**Gabriella wrinkled her nose and sighed. "It is, I'm meant to hand it in tomorrow morning, and I haven't even made a start on the paper"**

**"I know that feeling all too well. What is it? Maybe I can lend a hand or know someone else that can"**

**She shook her head, tucking a curl behind her ear. "No it's not that…my mind is just…elsewhere"**

**Jordan raised an eyebrow with a small grin. "Well it can't have gone far, we'll find it faster if we split up and both search"**

**Gabriella laughed softly, "Sounds like a plan, meet back here in 10 minutes, and if you've found it I might just shout you a coffee."**

**Jordan grinned, "How 'bout you just let me keep you company for a bit and we'll call it even?"**

**Gabi smiled and sat back in her armchair. "So how've you been?"**

**Jordan shrugged, "Better than you by the sounds of things. Look I know it's none of my business, but if you need someone to talk to I'd be willing to listen, and I might even have some corny advice for you"**

**Gabi smiled gratefully. "I'm usually a huge fan of the corny advice…but you barely know me, you really don't want me to dump all my problems on you, trust me"**

**"Hmmm…" Jordan paused as if thinking, "Well if it makes you feel any better I could dump my problems on you in return"**

**Gabriella raised an eyebrow with a small smile. "Ok, that sounds fair"**

**Jordan placed his coffee down on the table and thought for a second before grinning at her.**

"**All right, there's a hole in my left sock that has been bugging me all morning" **

**Gabriella rolled her eyes, "My problem is worse than that, and if you think that's going to convince me to tell you then you better come up with something better and fast"**

"**Umm…this coffee I ordered is disgusting?" Jordan offered lamely, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. **

**Gabi pursed her lips, trying not to smile. "Now you're just mocking me"**

**Jordan shook his head, "No I'm not…it's just that the biggest problems in my life really are quite trivial, but I do want to help you, I hate seeing people upset, its just not…happy!"**

"**That's sweet of you" Smiled Gabriella. "It's very…Oprah" **

**Jordan let out a mock sigh, "Yeah if only I had an African-American background and was a woman"**

**"Well you've almost got the woman part down pat and there're ways to change your skin color" chuckled Gabriella.**

**Jordan grinned and took a sip of his coffee, pulling a face, putting it down again. "So what's bothering you?"**

**Gabriella sighed deeply and tried to smile. "Nothing…everything"**

**Jordan smiled sympathetically, "Ah yes the ever present nothing and everything, it's a bitch when it bites you in the ass isn't it?"**

**She smiled weakly and put her head in her hands. "He's just so…stupid!" she groaned. **

**Jordan nodded, "Yeah apparently that's a guy thing"**

**Gabriella sighed again. "I guess you've assumed I'm talking about Troy?" **

**"Well... yeah I had kind of guessed, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I mean you guys are pretty close right?"**

**Gabriella snorted a laugh. "I don't even know anymore…we went out, for three years…but then…" She paused then sighed. "Things change I guess, we had a fight, I thought I'd never see him again, but then by some warped twist of fate, we both ended up here at NYU"**

**Jordan frowned, "Wow that kind of sucks…I can't imagine being with someone for three years then just suddenly not seeing them…but it looked like you guys were okay at the game"**

"**We're working things out…slowly…friends"**

**Jordan raised an eyebrow. "Do you still love him? I mean are you guys going to…" **

**"What? Get married and have lots and lots of babies? I can't see that happening any time in the near future, no" Gabriella laughed**

**"You just totally missed the main question there" Jordan noted.**

**"Which was?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow**

**"Do you still love him?"**

**Gabriella sighed and nodded dejectedly. "More than anything"**

**Jordan smiled softly. "And Troy? I mean, granted I've only met the guy once…but he seemed pretty crazy about you, how does he feel?" **

**"I don't know anymore, I mean I thought I did but…now he won't even speak to me" It was obvious that this hurt her; she didn't need to say so.**

**Jordan raised an eyebrow. "What happened? I mean…it must have been pretty bad…"**

**Gabriella sighed in frustration. "That's the thing though! It wasn't! You talked to me at the stupid basketball game, and he just…flipped, I don't know, it's not like I did anything!" **

**"Ah ha!" Jordan nodded, "It's me."**

**"What? Don't be ridiculous, we spoke to each other for no more than 5 minutes, what basis is that for flipping out?" Gabriella frowned.**

**"He's a guy. He sees me speaking to you, automatically assumes I'm trying to steal you away and there you have it, his reason for freaking." Jordan shrugged, as though it should have been obvious.**

**Gabrielle rolled her eyes and sighed. "Then why can't he just come to me and say it?"**

**Jordan shrugged and repeated pointedly. "He's a guy" **

**Gabriella pulled a face. "I guess I just thought we could always be honest with each other" **

**"I know it's hard, and incredibly frustrating, but you just have to give him time. He'll realize he's being an idiot and he'll come and talk to you sooner or later."**

**"I'm just worried that it's going to be later" she frowned, not knowing what else to do.**

**Jordan gave her a reassuring smile. "It'll work itself out"**

**Gabi tried to return the smile. "That's just it though, I don't know that it will…and it kills me because that's my fault" **

**Jordan's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"**

**"The reason that we fought in the first place was because I was so insecure about losing him. Funnily enough, I wouldn't have lost him if it weren't for that" explained Gabriella.**

**Jordan nodded along slowly. "What happened?"**

**Gabriella buried her head in her hands. "It was the end of senior year, and, everything was perfect…but then all of a sudden there was just all this pressure…college…the future…" **

**Jordan nodded and gave her an encouraging smile, urging her on.**

**"And it came time to post our applications and I just…I started to freak out. I was scared that we wouldn't end up at the same place and that he'd forget about me, I didn't know what I was going to do without him" **

**"So you pushed him away?" Jordan interjected.**

**Gabriella sighed deeply. "How'd you guess?"**

**"Cause you're a girl" He quipped with a lopsided grin. **

**She pulled a face, smiling slightly despite herself.**

**"But if this all happened before college, I'm guessing you guys must have made up seeing as you were at the game together."**

**Gabriella nodded, "Yeah, once we saw each other on the first day we found out that we were actually still capable of speaking to one another"**

**She took a big awkward sip of her coffee, shuffling the notes in front of her awkwardly.**

**"So…that's good right?" Jordan frowned.**

**"Yes, it was the best thing that had happened since well…our fight actually, everything's slowly going back to normal, and I'm happier than I've been in a while…but" She stopped. "This is going to sound so stupid…" **

**Jordan couldn't help but laugh, "If you lived in the same frat house as I did, you'd know that nothing you can say will sound stupid."**

**Gabriella smiled to herself. "Remind me never to pop by unexpectedly hoping for witty conversation then" He returned the smile warmly and she relaxed.**

**"Ok here's the thing, Troy's been trying, so hard to make up for what happened, and there's nothing I want more than to be with him..." **

**"So what's the problem then? If he's been trying to make up with you why not go with it? Especially if it's what you want." Jordan frowned, not understanding what Gabriella was getting at.**

**Gabriella closed her eyes, not fully knowing the answer herself. Finally she took a deep breath, attempting to answer him as best she could.**

**"I don't even know where to start….I…since my dad left us when I was seven…it's always just been me and mom, we were never in one place for more than 6 months, nothing was ever home, no group of friends lasted…I was alone…until…until we moved to Albuquerque…" She paused. **

**"And then you found where you belonged, and a group of people who loved you for what you were and the world was all roses and sunshine, am I right?" Jordan didn't say it in a way the was patronizing or sarcastic, it was just his way of putting it, and it made sense.**

**"More or less…and the best part of it was…Troy" She blushed slightly. "I fell for him so hard and so fast…and for some insane reason, he felt the same way, we were inseparable, I mean, we were even in the winter musical together for Christ's sake!" **

**"Whoa whoa whoa, Troy, the same guy who was at the game, was in a musical?" Jordan tried to hide his smirk.**

**"Yes" Gabriella glared at him playfully, "and he was fantastic thank you"**

**Jordan couldn't hold back his laugh this time. "I'll take your word for it"**

**Gabriella pouted, then cracked and laughed. "OK it was a little ridiculous once he got into his stage make up, but he was great"**

**Jordan grinned and simply nodded, waiting for her to continue. **

**"Anyway it looked like we were going to be fine after the first day here but then, then he had to let his ego get in the way and I just went off! He can't accept not being right and rather than just keep it to himself he had to openly flaunt it in my face!" She could feel her cheeks reddening with anger at the memory of those 5 simple words. "I guess I was right" she muttered before scoffing.**

**Jordan nodded, a little confused, but he could see she was getting a little worked up so he thought it wise not to interrupt her. **

"**But I couldn't stay mad at him, I can never stay mad at him, he's SO incredibly stupid sometimes, but…urgh, it's frustrating, he's trying so hard to fix us, to fix this…and not matter how much I want to…something's holding me back" **

**Jordan frowned, "And no matter how hard you try you can't pin point it, am I right?"**

**Gabriella bit her lip and nodded, in disbelief that he hadn't called her a loony and walked out of the café. Quite the opposite actually, he…he seemed to understand.**

**"Right" She agreed. She jumped as her phone began to vibrate in her purse; she quickly reached in and grabbed it, her heart racing, seeing that it was Troy calling. She glanced at Jordan who shrugged and grinned.**

**"Go ahead, take it" **

**She glanced back down at her phone, biting down hard on her lip before pressing the hang up button and shoving her phone back into her bag. She put on a big smile and turned back to Jordan.**

**"They must have hung up"**

**"Man I hate it when people do that! Especially if their number is on hide." He smiled at her.**

**Gabriella was surprised that he didn't instantly pick that she'd hung up, he seemed so tuned in to everything around him that he couldn't have possibly missed that.**

**"I know and if they call repeatedly its so much worse cause you can't return the calls!" She knew he could probably tell she was lying through her teeth, and that he was just humoring her, but at least he was decent enough to let her believe she was convincing him.**

**She swallowed the lump in her throat, glancing at her bag and sighing before looking up once again, "God, I don't even know why I'm about to tell you this. I haven't even told Taylor, my best friend, so if it gets back to Troy then I'll have you hunted down and killed…I know people who know people."**

**Jordan chuckled, "Point received, so please, continue"**

"**Ok, god…I..." She breathed in deeply. "OK…Troy and I…we were…we were rock solid, we never fought, I never got sick of him, we were always together…3 years and I…I loved him a little bit more everyday" She paused again, trying to steady her voice, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.**

"**So…umm…our break up was a big wake up call to me…maybe we weren't that strong…maybe if something so small could break us up…maybe we weren't meant for each other…" **

**Jordan reached out and placed his hand over hers, "I know it probably doesn't mean much coming from me, because I hardly know you and I've only met Troy once, but you can't let something like that stop you from trying. Just because you fight doesn't mean it has to end, you have to try and make it better. It's like that whole horse riding thing, if you fall off you have to get back on the horse right away or you never will"**

**Gabriella let out a small laugh and pulled a face. "That's not really comforting; considering the only time I ever did actually go horse riding I cracked my head open on a tree and needed 9 stitches" **

**Jordan grimaced. 'Ok…bad analogy" He chuckled slightly, squeezing her hand. "What are you afraid of Gabriella? Getting hurt again? Because the way I see it, I've never seen someone look as miserable as you do at the moment in my life, and it seems to me that you're hurting yourself more pushing him away, than by giving it another chance. Maybe you're just too scared to let yourself believe that it might work out? That you could be happy?" **

**Gabriella stared at him opened mouthed, how could someone she'd just met be so brutally direct? In the back of her mind she knew he was right but she was willing to ignore that fact for a moment.**

**She ran a hand through her hair, a little flustered; she let out a little laugh.**

"**Ok, what are you!"**

**"Well they call me Jordan, but technically I'm a male of the homosapien variety. Why do you ask?" He gave her a puzzled grin.**

**She smiled slightly and pulled her hand away. "Thank you" She whispered. "For listening"**

**Jordan smiled that reassuring smile once again, "You're welcome. I hope that you feel better now that you've gotten it all off your chest." He cast a quick glance at his watch, "And now I'm afraid I'll have to run off on you but…umm…if you need to talk give me a call." He quickly scrawled his name and number on a paper napkin, holding it out to her. **

**All Gabriella could manage was a grateful smile; she stared after his retreating back with a sigh and shoved the napkin into her purse, pulling out her cell phone in its place. **

'**One new voice message from Troy'**

**Troy's voice filled her ear, "Hey Gabi…I just wanted to tell you that I miss you too…and I'm sorry about the last few days…I might have been acting with just the smallest amount of stupidly, and for that I'm sorry. I don't know why I flipped out, its not like I had any real reason to but I just…I don't know…anyway I'm really sorry and was hoping that maybe…will you call me back sometime…please princess?"**

**Gabriella smiled slightly, resting back against the armchair, flipping her phone open and closed absentmindedly. How could pretty much a perfect stranger shed so much light on a situation she had deemed as impossible? Maybe he was right. Maybe not. Her stomach flipped nervously as she opened the phone once again and hit the recall button, listening nervously to the ringing on the other end of the line. **

**A/n: Yeah, not VERY exciting we know, but wait till you see what's in store for you in the next two chapters! Mwahaahahahha. Pretty please with sugar on top review! **


	7. Hearts on Sleeves

**Disclaimer: We don't own High School Musical.**

**Authors Note: **

**To everyone who reviews this, you guys are AWESOME! Seriously, I can't stress this enough, your reviews mean a lot to Chloe and I, so keep them coming:)**

**Hmmm, this chapter is…a build up to what's to come in the next one, that's all I'll tell you for now, but just know you're in for a wild ride!**

**Please review! Here's the chapter:**

**Chapter 7: Elephants in Backpacks and Hearts on Sleeves. **

**Gabriella walked through the entrance to the zoo as she glanced at her watch. She was 5 minutes early, and chances were that Troy would be 5 minutes late, but she looked around for him nonetheless.**

**Despite their long talk yesterday, she was still a little uneasy about today. She pulled down her top a little, adjusting it before sitting down on a bench and shuffling her feet. Central Park Zoo, she had been dreaming of coming here since she was a little kid. **

**Just as she was getting lost in her thoughts, the sounds of someone shouting her name pulled her back to reality. As she looked up she saw a grinning Troy jogging towards her. He held out his arms, "Are you impressed? I'm a whole 2 minutes early."**

**All feelings of unease washed away at the sight of his smile and Gabriella suppressed a laugh and glanced at her watch. "We'll…by my watch it's only a minute and half…but I'm still proud of you" She smiled. **

**Troy chuckled softly, "So what would you like to see first Princess?" he offered her his hand, not expecting her to take it, but figuring offering wouldn't hurt either of them.**

**She hesitated for a second but then squealed and took his hand excitedly, hopping up and down a little. "Everything!" **

**As she said this he cringed, "We're going to be here till closing time aren't we?"**

**Gabriella pouted. "Oh come on Troy, at least FAKE some excitement, I know the prospect of having to spend the ENTIRE day with me is horrible, but some enthusiasm would be encouraging" **

**"That's not what I mean" Troy smiled apologetically, "I just mean that uhh… these shoes aren't exactly the best for having to walk around in all day." **

**Gabriella let out a quiet laugh, "I promise that we can sit down for lunch and I'll even let you have a couple of snack breaks okay?" She squeezed his hand reassuringly.**

**He grinned sheepishly. "Look, before we start looking around…and most likely get pooped on by monkeys…I just want to say sorry, again"**

**Gabriella shook her head, "We've been through this. It's okay, you're forgiven, stress less."**

"**I know…I just…"He stopped and gave her a lopsided grin. "I'm an idiot"**

**Gabriella shrugged and gave him a reassuring smile. "Well that I won't argue with, BUT…lets just put it in the past and enjoy today ok?" **

**"I think that I can manage to do that, besides I should be celebrating, I get to see some of my family for the first time in months!" He grinned at her.**

**"You do? Since when?"**

**"Since we decided to come here, Uncle George will be so excited to see me."**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes, trying to hold back a laugh, "Oh right, the chimpanzees, I should have known"**

**They strolled in a comfortable silence through the zoo, Gabriella making a beeline for the Tiger enclosure. She snuck a glance at him as they were approaching and couldn't help but smile, content to be here with him. **

**Troy stood behind Gabriella as they were watching the tiger, and then grinned and said softly into her ear, "Look over near the pond in the back corner." He paused before continuing, "Now look through the bush and tell me what you see."**

**A smile crossed his face as he heard a small gasp escape from Gabriella's lips before she exclaimed, "There's a baby tiger!" He knew without needed to see her face that she would be staring wide eyed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. **

**Gabriella glanced up at him, her eyes shining. "It's so gorgeous!" She squealed, turning her attention back to the Tiger cub, craning her neck to get a better view. This is the way it should be, Troy thought to himself, No awkwardness, no not knowing what to say. Just the two of us enjoying one another's company and spending time having fun.**

"**Can I take it home?" Gabriella whined, looking up at him again hopefully. **

**"As long as you bath, feed and walk it, then it's okay by me. But you'll have to ask your mother." Troy replied sternly.**

**She nodded quickly, agreeing. "I'll name it Tigger!" **

**Troy swallowed, seeing she was at least half serious. "Err….time for the elephants" He grinned and steered a protesting Gabriella away from the Tiger enclosure. **

**"Ooh maybe we could get a baby elephant too! I'm sure we could squeeze it into my back pack." Gabriella looked over her shoulder at her backpack, "we might need to leave it open though, incase it's scared of the dark."**

**Troy shook his head laughing. "How about I promise to buy you some soft toys from the gift shop before we leave? Not that I don't think stealing an elephant is a good idea…it's just your uhh…backpack looks new, I wouldn't want you to break it" **

**Gabriella couldn't help but laugh, "Don't worry I promise not to try and steal animals…but they toys would be nice, thank you"**

**Troy smiled, taking her hand again. "Anything you want in the entire store is yours Princess" **

**"Does that include the shop attendant?" Gabriella smiled innocently, "Cause he seemed nice"**

**Troy scowled. "No, he's not for sale"**

**Gabriella mock frowned. 'Damn, I really wanted to keep him in my bed with all my other soft toys" She laughed, spotting the elephant enclosure and started to head towards it. **

**Troy groaned and followed, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up, and they'd only seen two things so far. As he caught up with Gabriella he noticed a sign advertising the opportunity to feed the elephants. He checked his watch and grinned, it was due to start in 10 minutes. While the elephants occupied her, he pulled out his wallet and bought two tickets so they could feed them.**

**He walked up beside her and she turned to him with a bright grin on her face. "This is SO much fun!"**

**Troy grinned, he loved seeing her smile like that. "Oh, princess, I just happened to pick up a couple of these…." He held the tickets out to her with a grin. **

**She scanned them and laughed, pulling him into an excited hug. "Oh my god! Thank you!" **

**He returned her hug with a grin, it seemed like her excitement was catching, "You're welcome princess, just promise me you won't try and fit one of them in your bag while it's distracted by food yeah?"**

**She pulled back and nodded with a small smile. "Don't worry, I won't try and steal it until the end of the day, I mean, I don't want to have to carry it around in my backpack all day" **

**Troy groaned mockingly, "Well I guess on the bright side it's you who'll have to explain it to the cops when they trace the missing elephant back to you"**

**Gabriella nodded, "That is unless of course I tell them you threatened to kill me if I didn't keep it for you"**

**Troy's mouth dropped open and an expression of mock hurt overshadowed his face, "Ouch, you mean that in order to keep yourself out of trouble you'd rat me out?"**

**Gabriella smiled innocently and nodded, "Put simply…of course! Besides it'd be easier to believe that you'd do something like that, everyone knows I'm far too innocent and well behaved to go about stealing elephants"**

"**Innocent my butt" Troy mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets but her grinned at her. He glanced at his watch. "Are you ready to feed Dumbo?" **

**Gabriella nodded her head enthusiastically then stopped suddenly, "What if it tries to eat me instead?"**

**Troy shrugged with a laugh. "Well then I guess I can go home and watch TV"**

**Gabriella whacked him on the arm, scowling. **

**"What? I was kidding, calm down. I'd rather spend time with you than watch TV any day…specially at this time of day, all that's on is soaps" he grinned cheesily. **

**Gabriella smiled. "That's better"**

**Over the next half hour, through squeals, giggles, shrieks and plenty of peanuts, Gabriella and Troy learnt a thing or too about feeding elephants. Troy made a mental note never to be an elephant keeper. He practically had to tear Gabriella away at the end of it.**

"**One more minute with the elephants?" She pouted, glancing back at the enclosure as they walked away.**

**Troy shook his head firmly. "Nuh uh, I've had enough of elephants to last me a life time…and besides, didn't you see the look on the keepers face when you asked him if you could buy the little one off him?" **

**Gabriella laughed and pouted again. "He said he'd think about it!" **

**"I think he was humoring you princess" Troy chuckled, wrapping an arm around Gabriella's shoulders.**

**"Well either way, at least he was polite enough to discuss the costs involved with maintaining an elephant"**

"**Well I hate to say it but I don't think your college fund covers about 50 tons of lettuce a week Gabi"**

**"And that's why I only wanted a baby one, they don't need as much" noted Gabriella matter of factly.**

**Troy shook his head, laughing and pointed to distract her. "Look, you promised me a snack break, so how about an ice cream?" **

**"Do I have to pay?" Gabriella asked, fluttering her eye lashes**

**Troy sighed; "Fine, fine it's my shout, even if I did just spend about a grand on peanuts" he smiled at her.**

**She returned the smile and wandered over to a shady patch of grass under a tree and sat down, waiting for him, stretching her legs out in front of her. **

**Troy joined her a few minutes later, handing her an ice cram, "Is chocolate still your favorite?" He questioned as he sat beside her.**

**She nodded, "Always and forever"**

**There was a comfortable silence for a few minutes, before Gabriella turned to him with a small smile. "Thank you for today, I'm having a great time" **

**Troy felt pride swelling up inside him but said casually, "No problem, I needed to get out of the house for a bit, and despite my moaning I'm actually enjoying this too, so thanks as well."**

**She pulled a face. 'The last few days have been weird…I hated not being able to talk to you, I have no idea how we managed it for three months" **

**Troy frowned, despite everything hey had managed to avoid discussing those few months in much detail, "I'd say it was due to our stubbornness, neither of us wanted to be the first to give in so it just went on and on I guess"**

**Gabriella sighed, finishing her ice cream and lying down in the grass, staring up into the branches of the tree.**

"**Everything is so complicated with us" **

**Troy nodded, he knew exactly how she felt, things were no longer as black and white as they had once been, "How'd we get to this?" He lay back, staring up at the sky, wondering why things always went for perfect to a crumpled mess with him.**

**She turned to him, resting her arms behind her head and sighed again. "I don't know…"**

**Again he sighed, "Do you think that we'll ever be able to get things back to the way they were?" It was a question that seemed to continuously haunt him, he couldn't bear the thought of not having Gabriella around, but lately it seemed that the smallest of disputes could tear them miles apart, and they'd already drifted too far in his opinion.**

**Gabriella swallowed, closing her eyes. "I...I want that…you know I do…I just…like I said, every time we talk it turns into a fight, it's complicated"**

**Troy held back a groan. "What's so complicated about it Gabriella? Can you at least tell me what's holding you back?" **

**Gabriella frowned, how could she tell him when she wasn't even sure herself? How do you tell someone that you love them with all you are, but that you just aren't ready to put your heart on the line again?**

**She sat up, brushing some loose pieces of grass off the sleeves of her shirt, avoiding his eyes.**

**"Princess?" He reached for her hand, taking it gently, "Talk to me…please…I can't stand this growing distance"**

"**Neither can I!" She blurted out. "But it's better than having my heart broken a second time around!" She stopped, pulling her hand away. **

**Troy closed his eyes, he didn't want to fight but something in him just couldn't let that comment slide, "If you don't want your heart to get broken then how do you expect to ever love anyone, not just me?"**

**Gabriella opened her mouth to snap back at him but he left her speechless, she shut her mouth and turned away. "You don't get it!"**

"**I don't get it?" Troy scoffed. "You're not the only one who was hurt Gabriella" **

**"I know that, and you know I do" She returned with a glare. "Look I don't expect you to understand okay, I don't even understand it. But I can't just forget everything that's happened and jump back into a relationship with you. And if you can't give me the time I need then maybe it's for the better that I don't."**

**Troy groaned in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "That's your problem Gabriella! You think too much! It won't be easy, but we can make it work this time!" **

**"Maybe you think I think too much, but you don't think enough Troy Bolton! What makes you so sure it can work this time when us being friends hardly works?" She was beginning to get frustrated, so much so that she wasn't sure how much longer it would be before their conversation turned into a full fledged screaming match.**

"**Because I….because" He couldn't control it any longer, she made him so angry. He leaned in and kissed her deeply, urging her to respond. **

**And respond she did, though not in the way that he had hoped. The moment after his lips met hers, he felt the sting of her hand against his skin. "Don't you dare!" She was fuming. "What right do you think you have to do that? I'm not some airhead who can be silenced with your saliva!"**

"**And I'm not some lapdog you can just dismiss and come back to whenever you see fit!" he exclaimed, standing up in frustration. "Gabriella, right here, right now, I'm telling you, no…I'm promising you that I will never ever intentionally hurt you again, what more can I do Gabriella? Tell me!"**

**"Give me the time I need! I know that you don't want to, but that's what I need. I'm not as strong as you. I can't just jump back in, knowing what happened last time." She looked away, not wanting to see the pain on his face.**

**"Fine" Troy sighed and shrugged, defeated, "Fine…I'll give you time. I'll give you space. I'll give you all the freedom you want and maybe a little extra" with that he began to walk away, no way could he let her see him cry, men don't cry, isn't that what everyone said?**

**Gabriella sunk back down onto the grass, putting her hands over her face, blinking back tears. What was wrong with her! Why was it so hard! Why did she have to make it so complicated? She cursed under her breath as a tear rolled down her cheek. **

**Troy turned the moment that he reached the public restrooms, wasn't it girls that were meant to cry in the bathroom? Yet here he was, a college student, ducking in for a quick cry. Fuck, she was the only one that could do this to him, the only one that could make him feel so incredibly happy one minute…and like he wanted to dig a big whole to just swallow him up the next minute**

**Gabriella bit her lip, trying in vain to wipe away her tears, but they kept flowing freely. What WAS she waiting for? Time wouldn't solve anything she realized, her eyes widening. She had had every thing she ever wanted standing in front of her. It wasn't about time. It was about now. And she had just screwed it up. **

**Knowing that things weren't going to get better of their own accord she stood up shakily to go in search of Troy. She didn't know where to begin, he could have jumped the next bus back to his apartment for all she knew, but he could also still be around. She began to walk in the direction he had gone, scanning the faces of the crowd carefully, not wanting to miss him.**

**She cursed under her breath, running to the zoo exit but her heart fell when she didn't see him. God, why was she so stupid, she slumped down on a bench, her face crumpling again. It was too late. **

**Not knowing what more she could do she pulled out her cell. It was time for a little Taylor TLC. As she dialed her number she prayed that Taylor was able to talk.**

"**Pick up pick up pick up pick up" She muttered, wiping away her tars with one hand, holding the phone to her ear with the other.**

"**Hi, you've reached Taylor…" **

**Gabriella let out a frustrated cry and snapped her phone shut. **

"**Fuck…fuck" Her hands shaking, she snapped her phone open and shut a few times. **

**Jordan. Ok so she barely knew the guy but he'd been so helpful before that surely he'd have some wonderful piece of advice that would make it seem like everything was going to be okay. Hesitantly she found his number in her phonebook and called him.**

**He picked up after the second ring. "Hello?"**

**She took a deep breath, a sob escaping her lips.**

"**Hello?"**

"**Jordan…it's umm…its Gabriella…I don't know why I'm calling you I just…"**

"**Gabriella what's wrong?" **

**The moment he asked that simple question her tears overflowed. "I'm such…and idiot...and now…I've lost him..." Her speech was broken by heart wrenching sobs.**

**Jordan sighed. "Gabriella you're going to need to calm down…just take a few deep breaths and tell me what happened"**

**Gabriella held her breath before letting it out slowly and proceeding to explain to Jordan what had happened just moments before.**

"**Ok…Gabriella you're not stupid, you both overreacted, yes, but you're not an idiot"**

"**You don't understand though Jordan, I've really fucked it up this time, he's been so patient with me…I think I missed my chance" **

**"Gabriella, if he loves you as much as he says he does this is fixable. Sure it'll take a whole lot of effort and maybe even a little groveling, but you can make it ok. You guys are meant to be, if you weren't there is no way that you could have lasted this long. I know it feels like there's no hope, but there is, it's just been shrouded in darkness by all this negativity"**

"**I don't know…" Gabi whispered doubtfully. "I don't think I deserve a second chance"**

"**We all make mistakes Gabriella, it's just a matter of how much we want to fix them"**

"**I want to fix it" She whispered. **

**"I know you do, and you will. Things happen for a reason, you and Troy didn't both end up at NYU by accident. You just have to have faith in yourself. If you can manage that then the rest will come easily" he sounded so sure of this, that Gabriella believed it.**

"**But I…I don't think sorry is enough this time…I don't even know where to begin…" **

**Slowly, a small smile began to spread over Gabriella's lips, gradually becoming a grin.**

**Jordan found her sudden silence a little disconcerting, "Gabriella are y-"**

**"Shh!" She cut him off mid sentence, "I'm trying to think…"**

**"Think? Too much thinking is bad for a person" he felt the need to point this out; as he was sure she was once again thinking about Troy. And she was, but this time it caused her to smile, not break down in tears. **

**"I think I have an idea…"**

**Jordan raised an eyebrow with a slight laugh. "Should I be worried?"**

**"Possibly" Gabriella let out a quiet laugh, "I'll let you know when I work it out"**

**"You ok now?" Jordan asked thoughtfully.**

**Gabriella tried to smile. "I hope so" **

**She knew this was make or break. It was her turn to chase him for once. It needed to be huge. It needed to show him how much he meant to her, it needed to be...the start of something new.**

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! That last line is a huge clue on what's happening in the next chapter…lets see if anyone can figure it out! Please please review and tell us what you think!**


	8. Paper Snowflakes

**Disclaimer:  We wish we owned HSM, but alas, we do not.**

**A/n:  First of all (and most importantly), again, thank you SO much for the reviews, you guys are so great! We are SO overwhelmed to have reached 100 reviews already, seriously, you guys are fantabulous! It's been a while since we've updated, but it's just hard to find time to write together, living in different states and with school and work and stuff. Once Chloe finishes her final exams the updates will come faster we promise! Hope everyone likes this! Don't forget to review and tell us your thoughts! **

**Emma**

**Chapter 8: Paper Snowflakes**

**"Troy…man…you've got to get out of bed sometime dude" Chad began, but was interrupted by the faint ringing of his cell down the hall in his bedroom. He sighed, rolling his eyes, Troy was ignoring him anyway, and so he turned and sprinted to his room to grab it. **

**He picked up and glanced at the caller ID, it was Gabriella. Closing his door so that Troy couldn't hear he answered quietly, "Look Gabriella, I'm having enough trouble with Troy already, the last thing I need you to do is talk to him, then I know he'll never get his lazy ass out of bed"**

**Gabriella sighed deeply. "I know…I know…Chad, I messed up…but I'm trying to fix it"**

**Chad glanced in the direction of Troy's room doubtfully. "I don't know Gabriella…he's pretty messed up…I don't think he wants to talk to you"**

**Gabriella bit her lip and said quietly. 'Actually…I was calling to talk to you" **

**"You were what? I'm sorry I think I must have got water in my ears when I showered, cause you see, I thought that you just said you were calling to talk to me, and we both know that can't be right."**

**Despite herself Gabriella smiled slightly at this. "Umm…I need your help" She mumbled quickly. **

**"Okay, excuse for a moment while I bask in the fact that you just admitted to needing my help" There was a pause before Chad's humming came down the line.**

**"Chad!" Gabriella exclaimed desperately. "Seriously" **

**Chad stopped, "Okay, okay, but you better at least have a plan, I don't want to end up doing ALL the work"**

**"Oh no don't worry, I've done all the planning, all you have to do is make out with him for me at the end" Said Gabriella sarcastically. **

**"Hey," Chad glared at the phone, "Do you want my help or not"**

**Gabriella sighed, smacking herself on the head. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…I'm just really stressed…"**

**Chad looked down and said quietly, glancing at the door again. "Yeah I know…look, don't sweat it Gabi, I'm sure it'll be ok"**

**"Has he…said anything to you?" Gabriella asked nervously, her heart racing. **

**"If by something you mean 'get out of my room' or 'my life is over' then yeah, we've been having lengthy deep and meaningful conversations, if you don't count those kind of things then" Chad let out a sigh, "No, he's not exactly talkative"**

**Gabriella groaned to herself, feeling the tears brimming in her eyes. **

**Noticing her silence, Chad asked, concerned. "Gabriella, are you ok?"**

**"No" She answered simply. "Chad I need you to get him out of the house" **

**"Believe me, I've been trying. I keep suggesting things to do but he won't haul his sorry ass from his bed. I mean hell; he won't even get up to shower! At least when I'm in misery I don't make the people around me suffer!"**

**"Chad, you don't NEED to be in misery to make the people around you suffer, you do that anyway" Gabriella clapped a hand around her mouth. "Oops sorry, force of habit"**

**Chad shrugged understandingly. "Don't worry about it"**

**Vanessa smiled slightly. "Look, do whatever it takes ok? Even if you have to drag him by his feet" **

**"I don't want to hurt the guy" Chad began to protest**

**"Chad" Gabriella interrupted sternly**

**"Well okay, maybe just a little. I'll call you back when he's out okay?"**

**Gabriella flipped her cell shut and sighed deeply. Her plan wasn't going to work. She knew it.**

**Chad threw his phone on his bed before returning to Troy's room. "Okay, if you don't get up this minute I'm going to go get a bucket of water and then give you're mom a lovely wake up call, its been a while since she's talked to me" Chad stood in the door way, with his hands on his hips.**

**"Go Away" came Troy's mumbled reply from beneath the covers.**

"**Troy, dude" Chad sat down on the edge of the bed. "I get it. Your life is over. You're miserable. But don't you think some uhh…fresh air would do you some good?"**

**Chad sighed, "Okay…well maybe if you stay under there long enough the fumes will kill you"**

**"You think?" Troy peeked out from beneath the covers, showing no more than his eyes.**

**Chad shrugged, "Maybe, I mean your shoes can be lethal, so lord only know what your socks are like"**

**Troy pulled the covers back up over his head again, rolling over and ignoring Chad.**

**Chad swore under his breath. "Dude…she's probably as upset as you are ok?" **

**Troy snorted, "Yeah right, I'm giving her space like she asked me to,. I doubt she's upset"**

**Chad groaned, "Well either way, moping around the house isn't going to help any of us, so please…come and shoot some hoops or something, anything! Just get up!"**

**Troy finally sat up. "Look, dude I appreciate your concern I do…but you don't get it, this is it. Gabi and I are…I think it's finally…over"**

**"If you let yourself believe that, then yeah you are. But what's sitting around moping going to do for the situation? Lets go out and get some fresh air, and then we'll tackle this in a way that will mean you can get her back eh?" Chad hoped he was convincing, he had to get Troy out of the house so that Gabriella could do…well whatever it was that she was planning to do. In the back of his mind he was hoping she would jump out of a cake. Scantily clad. And he wasn't going to let Troy's moping get in the way of that plan. **

**Troy knew that no matter what he said, Chad was determined to haul him from his warm, safe cocoon of a bed. So reluctantly he pushed back the covers, heaving a sigh as if to say "You know I'm going to get you back for this later".**

**Chad grinned, satisfied. "See, isn't that better"**

**Troy rolled his eyes, muttering. "I guess I do need to go to the library on campus anyway, I have about 6 papers due" **

**Chad cringed, "Oh ouch, want me to come? Maybe I can help you"**

**Troy shook his head glumly. "Nah, I'd rather be alone"**

**Chad nodded understandingly, "Alright, but if you decide you want some company I'd be more than happy to leave cleaning the house for another day"**

**It took another hour to get Troy out of the house. He was a wreck. Chad could only hope that Gabriella's plan worked. **

**Once Troy had finally left, Chad did as he'd promised and called Gabriella.**

**She picked up nervously on the first ring.**

"**Chad?"**

"**Yeah, he's gone, it was a struggle, but you can always count on me"**

**She let out a sigh of relief, getting Troy to leave was going to be the hard part, now she just had to hope he stayed out long enough for her to do what she wanted, **

**"Thank you Chad, you have no idea how grateful I am, now I just have one last favor to ask" She paused, "Would you mind if I came over?"**

**Chad raised an eyebrow. "Umm…sure, but what's going on Gabriella?"**

**Gabriella took a deep breath. "Look, I'll explain everything later ok" **

**Once she was off the phone to Chad, Gabriella gathered anything she thought she'd need and headed off to set up what she hoped would be the perfect apology. Or perhaps the perfect disaster, she thought, her heart sinking. **

**Just as Chad was having a stare-down with the bottle of cleaning fluid there was a knock on the door, breathing a sigh of relief he said to the cleaning fluid "It's not over yet!" before going to answer it.**

**His eyes widened in concern when he saw Gabriella. She looked like she hadn't slept in a year. Her eyes were red rimmed from crying. She looked like well…Troy.**

"**Gabriella you look…"**

"**Terrible, I know" She sighed deeply.**

**Chad shrugged. "I was going to say tired…but we can use your word" **

**Gabriella smiled weakly and rolled her eyes, "Thanks. I just…I can't leave things this way…"**

**"Believe me when I say I have no problem with that. I can't live with Troy being all…well…mopey"**

**Vanessa looked down guiltily. "My fault"**

**Chad shook his head and pulled her into a big brotherly hug. "Nah, it's not your fault he's a pansy"**

**She couldn't help but laugh as she hugged him back, "No you're right, that'd be the influence of living with you"**

**He pulled back grinning. "So what's the big plan? How can I help? When's the cake arriving?"**

**"Cake?" Gabriella raised an eyebrow**

**"Well" Chad sighed; "I was kind of secretly hoping the plan was for you to jump out of a cake" he shrugged guiltily.**

**Gabriella rolled her eyes sarcastically. "That's plan B Chad" **

**He looked hopeful and she whacked him on the arm. "Idiot" **

**"So what's plan A then?" He couldn't contain his curiosity any longer, so what if curiosity killed the cat? He was the Chad, NOT the cat.**

**She took a deep nervous breath and pulled out a wad of white paper from her bag, two pairs of scissors along with it. **

"**I need…snowflakes"**

**"Uh…okay. As long as you clean up after yourself" Chad ginned, not only would he be helping a friend, but he could also get out of cleaning at least half the house this way!**

**Gabriella glanced at the clock on the wall. 4:45 pm. **

"**How long till Troy gets back?" She asked nervously. **

"**Umm…well he went to the library to get some books and photocopy come stuff, so an hour, tops?"**

**"Okay. We have to work fast, and I mean super fast."**

**"No problem, my middle name is fast," grinned Chad**

**"Really? Huh… I thought it was Fredrick," Gabriella giggled.**

"**Do you want help or not?" Chad laughed, taking a pair of scissors and half the paper from her hands and sitting on the couch. **

**Gabriella nodded as she began to fold a piece of paper, her hands shaking with nerves. "That would be lovely, thank you"**

**She sat down next to him, her heart racing, glancing at the clock again, shaking slightly. Chad noticed this.**

"**Gabriella…it'll be ok…it'll work…Troy loves err…snowflakes" **

**Gabriella tried to smile, but failed miserably. "I'm not so sure…I've pushed him too far…"**

**"For once, just once, believe me. He wants things to work out as much as you do. I've never seen him so miserable about anything"**

**Gabriella couldn't help but smile; it was times like this that she was glad to have Chad around.**

**Half an hour later Gabriella was on her 50th snowflake and Chad was on his second. Evidently he had forgotten to tell her he failed arts and crafts in kindergarten. **

**"So…we're sitting here making snowflakes, but how's it going to help get you and Troy back together?" Chad was looking confused.**

**Gabriella stood up and started placing her snowflakes all around the room, ignoring him. She pulled the curtains shut, dimming the light of the room, glancing at the clock again nervously. **

**"We'll hear him getting home, don't worry. You can hear his mumbling and feeling sorry for himself from miles away" Chad tried to reassure her.**

**She nodded distractedly, though not really convinced. She grabbed her bag from the floor. "I'm going to go change ok? Is there a room I can use?"**

**Chad lead the way to Troy's room, gesturing for her to go in. "I'll just be in the living room, I'm sure I can manage a few more flakes while you change." He grinned at her before giving her another quick hug, "It'll be okay"**

**She walked into Troy's room and pulled the door shut behind her, looking around sighing. It was a mess books and clothes strewn everywhere. Same old Troy. She pulled off her sweater and jeans slowly, pulling on a black strapless dress. She examined herself critically in Troy's mirror, wrinkling her nose and sighing.**

**She pulled her hair out of her pony tail, wishing she had straightened it, tucking her fringe behind her ear. She pulled out her small make up bag, Chad was right; she looked like the living dead. **

**Oh well, she was pretty sure she could do something courtesy of her little bag. A few moments later she cautiously made her way to the living room, hoping Troy hadn't already made it home without her noticing.**

**Chad looked up as she walked in, a small smile spreading on his face. 'Gabriella, you look…wow" **

**Gabriella felt herself blushing slightly, "Thank you, I just hope that Troy thinks the same. If I can't woo him with my charming personality, maybe I can win him over with my looks"**

"**Gabriella…in THAT dress…heck, I want to get back together with you"**

**Gabriella wrinkled her nose. "We were never together"**

**Chad shrugged. "The point of that story was that you look damn fine"**

**Gabriella barely registered this and glanced around nervously, Chad had said Troy would be about an hour, it had now been an hour and…three minutes. She sighed heavily; she couldn't take much more of this waiting.**

**If he was going to shut her down she wished it would just be over and done with.**

**There was a loud knock at the front door. "Chad? Dude, are you home I forgot my keys…let me in"**

**Gabriella felt her heart stop, she glanced around wildly. "Oh my god, I can't do this"**

**Chad put his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. "Gabriella, breathe, you'll be fine, I'll go let him in, you make sure every thing is in place…and you'll be fine, you're beautiful, nothing can go wrong" **

**She mouthed 'thank you' inaudibly, giving him a quick hug and running to light the candles she had set up around the place. **

**Again there was banging on the door, "Dude! Come on, it's getting cold out here, I'm tired and I miss my bed! Now is NOT the time for pranks" Troy groaned and dropped his head against the door, waiting impatiently.**

**"Okay, okay I'm coming. Don't get your pretty face all messed up with tears of frustration." Chad glanced up the hall, checking as best he could that Gabriella was ready for Troy to enter.**

**He opened the door and Troy pushed past him. "Took you long enough"**

**Chad shrugged. "Listen man…I'm going to uhh...take…a walk"**

**Troy raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"**

**Chad tried to look blank, but couldn't help but grin. "I…don't screw this up man" With that he hurriedly walked through the door, pulling it shut behind him.**

**Troy raised an eyebrow in confusion. **

**Gabriella found herself nervously twisting part of her dress between her clammy hands, she kept telling herself it was okay, but she couldn't make herself believe it. And then there was Troy. He had stopped half way up the hall, staring in shock, taking in all that she had done.**

**Paper snowflakes hung randomly throughout the room, and were scattered allover the floor and couches. Long white candles dimly lit the room. A sign reading 'HAPPY NEW YEAR' was strung across a cabinet. Vanessa stood in the middle of the room, shaking with nervousness. **

**Troy's eyes widened in shock, walking slowly towards her. "I…wh…" he couldn't form words, everything was a blur. **

**Vanessa swallowed and said quietly, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Ok…umm…I want you to picture…actual snow…and…umm…instead of candles…fireworks…and umm….instead of your lounge room…a ski lodge…like the night we first met" She stopped, unable to continue, her emotions getting the better of her. **

**Troy frowned, his eyes scanning over the various changes that had been made to the living room. He wanted to make things between them work. But he wasn't going to pretend that a few bits of cut up paper could make everything okay. "It's umm..." he cleared his throat, a bewildered look veiling his face "it must have taken a while"**

**Gabriella's heart sank, she looked down, unsure of what to say next. "I…ummm…this is…I tried to find you at the zoo…" her voice cracked, she was visibly shaking with nerves. "I made a horrible….mistake" **

**Troy couldn't look at her, he knew that if he did his heart would climb into his throat and he might cry again so instead he stared at the carpet, "Yeah…I needed…I just needed to get my head back in order…I think maybe you were right"**

**Gabriella could literally feel her heart crumbling. Her lip trembled and she shook her head slightly. "No…no…Troy…I've been so stupid…all this time…" **

**Troy sighed, he didn't want to get into another argument, he didn't have the energy. "Look…Gabriella. I love you okay, chances are I always will, but I can't keep putting all this energy into trying to make things right if in another 2 days time I'm just going to get kicked in the butt you know?"**

**Gabriella's tears began to flow freely, streaming silently down her face. "Troy…I…I don't know what I can say…to make it better…I know this is…all my stupid fault…and…I…" She stared intently at her feet, unable to continue, all hope fading fast. **

**Troy felt the lump rising in his throat. He could handle Gabriella being disappointed with him, or being angry, he could even handle it when she yelled, but when she cried…he just wanted to wrap his arms around her and reassure her that it would all be okay. Instead he stayed where he was, trying to swallow the lump that was slowly rising in his throat. "Don't" He spoke so softly he wasn't sure if she'd hear him. "Don't blame yourself. Some things just aren't meant to be…maybe we're one of those something's"**

**It wasn't meant to be like this. Gabriella's throat was dry, her mouth unable to form words. It was all meant to be ok. She put her head in her hands, wiping frantically at her tears to no avail, because new ones just kept forming in their place. **

**"I was scared Troy" She whispered, barely audibly. "I was scared of being hurt again" She looked up at him, her lower lip trembling. "And now…now that I've realized that that the only more terrifying than being hurt again is not being with you…it's too late" She laughed bitterly through her tears. **

**"Gabriella…I…I don't want you to hate me. But the position I'm stuck in right now is the one of not wanting to be hurt again. I can't keep wearing my heart on my sleeve knowing that at any moment it could be torn off. I just…" Troy closed his eyes, willing himself to stay calm, "I can't do it again"**

**"I know…" Gabriella swallowed, almost choking on her tears. "I know…I should…I should go" She whispered, but she couldn't move. **

**"Gabriella I…" Troy suddenly reached out taking her hand gently in his own, lowering his voice, "Wait…I don't want you to go"**

**Gabriella laughed bitterly, almost choking on her tears, pulling her hand away. "You don't want me to go…but there's no way this can work, you said it yourself" **

**Troy cringed, she was right, he had said that. "Just because it often feels like something is hopeless doesn't mean you should give up the fight" he whispered, almost to himself. Again he reached out for her hand.**

**Again she pulled it away, taking a step back from him. "I don't understand Troy…a second ago you told me it was too late…and now…I don't…what are you saying?" **

**"I'm saying that…" Troy paused, what was he saying? "I'm saying that I don't want to lose you, that I can't just let you walk away again. Look I know I can be stupid and pig headed, but I love you. And if you walk away then I'll…I'll…I don't know what I'll do but it won't be good"**

**Gabriella looked down, her heart skipped a beat, not wanting to let herself believe what he had just said. "I…Troy I know…I know we've been through a lot of bullshit…but…"**

**Troy nodded, swallowing hard. "I know…it hasn't been easy…"**

**Gabriella let out a quiet laugh causing Troy to pout, "You're laughing at a time like this?" he asked shocked**

**Gabriella nodded, "That had to be the understatement of the year!"**

**Troy couldn't help but laugh too, then he looked down and whispered quietly. "The point is…you look beautiful tonight…and if I let you walk out that door then it'll be the biggest mistake I ever make in my life…I knew that from the second I saw you here…"**

**Gabriella felt the redness rising in her cheeks. Granted Troy had said things like that to her before, but never so seriously, normally she could just laugh him off.**

**"So…so…umm" She started timidly, daring to look up at him. "What now?"**

**"Well…I think it was about now that you snuck off to find your mom without my noticing" he replied, unable to hold back a grin.**

**Gabriella raised an eyebrow, a little confused then her eyes widened and she let out a small laugh despite her tears. He was talking about the night they had first met.**

**"Yeah, and then we'll turn up in our lecture tomorrow and you'll call my cell phone right? Do colleges give detentions?"**

**Troy shrugged and grinned, staring at his feet, the grin fading nervously. "So umm…I guess…this is the part….where...I tell you that I can't live without you...and…hopefully…in a second…it will be the part where you tell me you feel the same" He looked up at her, heart racing. **

**Gabriella just looked at him expectantly and when he said nothing she prompted, "Well, go on" **

**Troy laughed softly before taking her hands once again, "Gabriella…I love you, and if you walk away my life will be over"**

**Gabriella's smiled turned to a wide grin, "Troy, I do feel the same, and that's why I'm still standing here."**

**Troy grinned widely, almost in disbelief. "Then why the hell am I still standing over HERE?" **

**In a split second she was in his arms, arms entwined around his neck, his wrapped around her waist. He hesitated for a split second, heart racing, and then his lips met hers. **

** Lost in their kiss, neither of them noticed the sound of the front door opening, but a voice saying, "Oh great I go out for 10 minutes and you kids can't keep your hands off each other", interrupted the moment.**

**Troy and Gabriella broke apart, turning to see Chad in the hallway, attempting to look disapproving but the grin plastered across his face gave away his real feelings.**

**Gabriella laughed and wiped away the last of her tears, giving Chad a little wave. Troy glanced at her happily, keeping his arms firmly wrapped around her waist, then turned to Chad, shaking his head.**

**"I'll give you twenty bucks to turn around and walk out the door again without making a smartass comment"**

**Chad grinned. "Dude, I'm your best friend…I'll do it for ten, see Gabi, I told you it would work…you can thank me for my snowflakes later"**

**She waved again with a little laugh as Chad turned around and walked out again. She turned to Troy again, heart racing, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck, pulling him close.**

**"So we're doing this…we're making this work? No more crap? Just…us?"**

**He leaned in and silenced her with a kiss. **

**A/n: How was it? Please review! We really will try to update again soon!**


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